COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Santa Fe County: larger FARS fatality book
Santa Fe County (NM) holds a larger FARS book (169, #396 of 3,137) with 15 latest-year deaths.
- 169
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 15
- Latest Year Deaths
- High count
- 9.6
- Per 100k Residents
- Well below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Larger fatality book
Santa Fe County ranks #396 of 3,137 by total FARS fatalities (169 across 2016-2023) - top-third book size.
Santa Fe County in the larger-book third
According to NHTSA FARS, Santa Fe County carries a top-third fatality book (169 across 2016-2023, #396 of 3,137) at 9.6/100k.
- #1,805 of 2,328
- lower-rate third
- #396 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #23 of 24
- in NM by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
FARS county milepost
Milepost SANTA-FE-49 · Santa Fe 9.6/100k · #1,805 of 2,328
Santa Fe County · 9.6/100k · increasing
- VOL 9.6/100k
- AVG #1,805 of 2,328
- YOY 169 book
- RATE Increasing
- RANK 158 crash
- BOOK -69.4% vs NM
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 Mexico state profile →
How does Santa Fe County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Santa Fe County is 69% 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 Mexico, Santa Fe County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 31.4 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Santa Fe County's rate and the state average is 21.8 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Otero County, at 18.9 per 100,000 (a difference of 9.3). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Torrance County (102.3), Socorro County (75.2), Cibola County (56.0), Lincoln County (49.9), Sierra County (43.5), McKinley County (42.2), Colfax County (40.8), Luna County (39.5), Rio Arriba County (37.6), San Miguel County (33.7), Eddy County (29.9), Grant County (25.5), Lea County (25.0), Otero County (18.9).
Santa Fe 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 77% 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 Santa Fe County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Santa Fe County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- New Mexico statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for NM
- 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 SLetter index including NM counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Santa Fe County, New Mexico?
Santa Fe County recorded 169 total traffic fatalities across 158 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 15 fatalities. The county averages approximately 18.8 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Santa Fe County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (158 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Santa Fe County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for New Mexico may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Santa Fe County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Santa Fe 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 Santa Fe County?
Santa Fe County has a fatality rate of 9.6 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 Santa Fe County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Santa Fe County ranks #1,805 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #23 of 24 rated counties in NM, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Santa Fe County compare to the rest of New Mexico?
Santa Fe County's per-capita rate of 9.6 per 100,000 residents is below the New Mexico county average of 31.4. Visit the New Mexico state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Santa Fe 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.