COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Polk County, Oregon
Road fatality data for Polk County (OR). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 88
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 9
- Latest Year Deaths
- Near average count
- 10.0
- Per 100k Residents
- Below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Rising fatality trend
Polk County's FARS series is labeled Increasing with 9 deaths in the latest year.
Polk County on a rising FARS trend
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Polk County ranks #1,763 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #24 of 28 rated counties in OR. Polk County's fatality rate of 10.0 per 100,000 residents leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure.
- #1,763 of 2,328
- lower-rate third
- #825 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #24 of 28
- in OR by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
NHTSA FARS milepost
Milepost POLK-53 · Polk 10.0/100k · #1,763 of 2,328
Polk County · 10.0/100k · increasing
- CRASH 10.0/100k
- FARS #1,763 of 2,328
- NHTSA 88 book
- MILE Increasing
- POST 83 crash
- BAND -51.2% vs OR
Stamps derive from this county's NHTSA FARS row (per-100k or book, corpus rank, trend, nationwide peer NAME, vs-state gap), not a trip-risk forecast. PlainRoadSafety is informational only. See our disclaimer. Verify with NHTSA FARS → · Read with methodology → · Understanding road fatality data → · Oregon state profile →
How does Polk County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Polk County is 51% safer than the comparison
2023 road deaths from the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System over population from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2023). Rates shown for counties with 10,000+ residents and a 2023 FARS record.
Among the 15 rated counties in Oregon, Polk County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 20.5 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Polk County's rate and the state average is 10.5 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Morrow County, at 16.3 per 100,000 (a difference of 6.3). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Malheur County (43.7), Baker County (41.4), Tillamook County (40.1), Columbia County (35.3), Klamath County (34.3), Wasco County (30.4), Douglas County (30.2), Coos County (29.6), Linn County (26.6), Curry County (25.8), Clatsop County (21.9), Umatilla County (21.2), Jefferson County (19.6), Morrow County (16.3).
Polk County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
10 Among the safer counties a lower per-capita rate than 76% of 2,328 rated counties
rated U.S. counties, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more rated counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NHTSA FARS over U.S. Census Bureau population estimates · 2026-09-03
More road safety data related to Polk County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Polk County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Oregon statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for OR
- State fatality changesYear-over-year state trends
- Browse all U.S. countiesAlphabetical county index
- All state profiles51 state dashboards
- State vs U.S. safety comparisonRoute-level lookup tool
- National statistics downloadFARS CSV + findings
- How to read FARS fatality dataMethodology primer
- Per-mile vs per-capita road riskRate denominator explained
- Counties starting with PLetter index including OR counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Polk County, Oregon?
Polk County recorded 88 total traffic fatalities across 83 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 9 fatalities. The county averages approximately 9.8 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Polk County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (83 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Polk County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Oregon may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Polk County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Polk County is increasing. This indicates that traffic fatalities have risen over the data period, warranting attention to road safety initiatives.
What is the fatality rate per capita in Polk County?
Polk County has a fatality rate of 10.0 per 100,000 residents, which leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure among the 3,137 U.S. counties in this dataset.
Where does Polk County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Polk County ranks #1,763 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #24 of 28 rated counties in OR, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Polk County compare to the rest of Oregon?
Polk County's per-capita rate of 10.0 per 100,000 residents is below the Oregon county average of 20.5. Visit the Oregon state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Polk County come from?
All road fatality data comes from the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), a census of fatal motor vehicle crashes on public roads in the United States. FARS data covers the period 2016-2023 and includes all crashes resulting in at least one fatality within 30 days.