COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Shawnee County: lower-rate fatality band
Shawnee County (KS) is in the lower per-capita third: 6.8/100k (#2,072 of 2,328). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 161
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 12
- Latest Year Deaths
- Near average count
- 6.8
- Per 100k Residents
- Well below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Lower per-capita fatality band
Shawnee County ranks #2,072 of 2,328 by deaths per 100,000 residents (6.8/100k) - bottom-third rate among rated U.S. counties.
Shawnee County in the lower-rate third
According to NHTSA FARS, Shawnee County sits in the lower-rate third at 6.8 per 100k (#2,072 of 2,328), #31 of 36 in KS.
- #2,072 of 2,328
- lower-rate third
- #418 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #31 of 36
- in KS by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
FARS milepost strip
Milepost SHAWNEE-177 · Shawnee 6.8/100k · #2,072 of 2,328
Shawnee County · 6.8/100k · increasing
- YOY 6.8/100k
- RATE #2,072 of 2,328
- RANK 161 book
- BOOK Increasing
- TREND 143 crash
- CAUSE -56.7% vs KS
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 → · Kansas state profile →
How does Shawnee County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Shawnee County is 57% 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 Kansas, Shawnee County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 15.7 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Shawnee County's rate and the state average is 8.9 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Reno County, at 17.9 per 100,000 (a difference of 11.1). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Marion County (42.8), Cherokee County (31.5), Labette County (30.4), Sumner County (26.9), Butler County (23.3), Lyon County (21.8), Dickinson County (21.7), Harvey County (20.9), Bourbon County (20.8), Barton County (20.1), Neosho County (19.5), Franklin County (19.1), Osage County (19.0), Reno County (17.9).
Shawnee 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 89% 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 Shawnee County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Shawnee County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Kansas statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for KS
- 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 KS counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Shawnee County, Kansas?
Shawnee County recorded 161 total traffic fatalities across 143 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 12 fatalities. The county averages approximately 17.9 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Shawnee County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (143 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Shawnee County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Kansas may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Shawnee County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Shawnee 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 Shawnee County?
Shawnee County has a fatality rate of 6.8 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 Shawnee County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Shawnee County ranks #2,072 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #31 of 36 rated counties in KS, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Shawnee County compare to the rest of Kansas?
Shawnee County's per-capita rate of 6.8 per 100,000 residents is below the Kansas county average of 15.7. Visit the Kansas state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Shawnee 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.