COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Rensselaer County: lower-rate fatality band
Rensselaer County (NY) is in the lower per-capita third: 6.9/100k (#2,060 of 2,328). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 72
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 11
- Latest Year Deaths
- Near average count
- 6.9
- Per 100k Residents
- Well below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Lower per-capita fatality band
Rensselaer County ranks #2,060 of 2,328 by deaths per 100,000 residents (6.9/100k) - bottom-third rate among rated U.S. counties.
Rensselaer County in the lower-rate third
According to NHTSA FARS, Rensselaer County sits in the lower-rate third at 6.9 per 100k (#2,060 of 2,328), #40 of 61 in NY.
- #2,060 of 2,328
- lower-rate third
- #1,013 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #40 of 61
- in NY by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
Highway fatality milepost
Milepost RENSSELAER-8 · Rensselaer 6.9/100k · #2,060 of 2,328
Rensselaer County · 6.9/100k · increasing
- VS-ST 6.9/100k
- CRASH #2,060 of 2,328
- FARS 72 book
- NHTSA Increasing
- MILE 68 crash
- POST -29.9% vs NY
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 → · New York state profile →
How does Rensselaer County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Rensselaer County is 30% 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 New York, Rensselaer County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 9.8 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Rensselaer County's rate and the state average is 2.9 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Oswego County, at 13.5 per 100,000 (a difference of 6.6). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Columbia County (28.1), Orleans County (20.4), Ontario County (18.7), Seneca County (18.5), Cattaraugus County (17.2), Washington County (16.7), Essex County (16.3), Yates County (16.3), Genesee County (15.6), St Lawrence County (15.0), Allegany County (15.0), Tioga County (14.7), Wayne County (14.3), Oswego County (13.5).
Rensselaer County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
7 Among the safer counties a lower per-capita rate than 88% 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 Rensselaer County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Rensselaer County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- New York statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for NY
- 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 NY counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Rensselaer County, New York?
Rensselaer County recorded 72 total traffic fatalities across 68 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 11 fatalities. The county averages approximately 8.0 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Rensselaer County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (68 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Rensselaer County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for New York may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Rensselaer County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Rensselaer 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 Rensselaer County?
Rensselaer County has a fatality rate of 6.9 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 Rensselaer County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Rensselaer County ranks #2,060 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #40 of 61 rated counties in NY, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Rensselaer County compare to the rest of New York?
Rensselaer County's per-capita rate of 6.9 per 100,000 residents is below the New York county average of 9.8. Visit the New York state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Rensselaer 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.