COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Ray County, Missouri
Road fatality data for Ray County (MO). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 39
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 5
- Latest Year Deaths
- Low count
- 21.6
- Per 100k Residents
- Above average
- Increasing
- Trend
Rising fatality trend
Ray County's FARS series is labeled Increasing with 5 deaths in the latest year.
Ray County on a rising FARS trend
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Ray County ranks #750 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #33 of 84 rated counties in MO. Ray County's fatality rate of 21.6 per 100,000 residents places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure.
- #750 of 2,328
- higher-rate third
- #1,710 of 3,137
- by total FARS fatalities
- #33 of 84
- in MO by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
NHTSA FARS milepost
Milepost RAY-177 · Ray 21.6/100k · #750 of 2,328
Ray County · 21.6/100k · increasing
- FARS 21.6/100k
- NHTSA #750 of 2,328
- MILE 39 book
- POST Increasing
- BAND 36 crash
- VOL -0.9% vs MO
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 → · Missouri state profile →
How does Ray County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Ray County is About the same as 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 Missouri, Ray County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 21.8 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure. The gap between Ray County's rate and the state average is 0.2 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Lafayette County, at 30.1 per 100,000 (a difference of 8.5). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Ripley County (74.0), Pemiscot County (54.7), Morgan County (54.6), Barry County (53.9), Lawrence County (51.5), Douglas County (49.1), Ralls County (47.7), Bates County (43.1), New Madrid County (38.9), Bollinger County (37.9), Saline County (34.7), Stone County (33.7), Wright County (30.9), Lafayette County (30.1).
Ray County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
22 Around the middle a lower per-capita rate than 32% 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 Ray County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Ray County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Missouri statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for MO
- 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 RLetter index including MO counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Ray County, Missouri?
Ray County recorded 39 total traffic fatalities across 36 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 5 fatalities. The county averages approximately 4.3 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Ray County?
Cause-code breakdowns are not individually published for Ray County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Missouri may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Ray County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Ray 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 Ray County?
Ray County has a fatality rate of 21.6 per 100,000 residents, which places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure among the 3,137 U.S. counties in this dataset.
Where does Ray County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Ray County ranks #750 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #33 of 84 rated counties in MO, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Ray County compare to the rest of Missouri?
Ray County's per-capita rate of 21.6 per 100,000 residents is below the Missouri county average of 21.8. Visit the Missouri state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Ray 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.