COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Spencer County: higher-rate fatality band
Spencer County (IN) is in the higher per-capita third: 40.2/100k (#180 of 2,328). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 45
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 8
- Latest Year Deaths
- Near average count
- 40.2
- Per 100k Residents
- Well above average
- Increasing
- Trend
Higher per-capita fatality band
Spencer County ranks #180 of 2,328 by deaths per 100,000 residents (40.2/100k) - top-third rate among rated U.S. counties.
Spencer County in the higher-rate third
According to NHTSA FARS, Spencer County sits in the higher-rate third at 40.2 per 100k (#180 of 2,328), #1 of 84 in IN.
- #180 of 2,328
- higher-rate third
- #1,532 of 3,137
- by total FARS fatalities
- #1 of 84
- in IN by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
NHTSA FARS milepost
Milepost SPENCER-147 · Spencer 40.2/100k · #180 of 2,328
Spencer County · 40.2/100k · increasing
- PHOTO 40.2/100k
- VS-ST #180 of 2,328
- CRASH 45 book
- FARS Increasing
- NHTSA 39 crash
- MILE +137.7% vs IN
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 → · Indiana state profile →
How does Spencer County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Spencer County is 2.4× deadlier 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 Indiana, Spencer County ranks 1 for per-capita risk, above the state's own per-capita average of 16.9 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate puts it among the most dangerous one in ten U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Spencer County's rate and the state average is 23.3 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Newton County, at 35.8 per 100,000 (a difference of 4.4). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Newton County (35.8), Randolph County (33.0), Pulaski County (32.3), Whitley County (31.7), Perry County (31.2), Fulton County (29.5), Crawford County (28.7), Montgomery County (28.5), White County (28.1), Jefferson County (27.2), Steuben County (25.8), Brown County (25.6), Greene County (25.6), Jay County (25.0).
Spencer County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
40 Higher than most a lower per-capita rate than 8% 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 Spencer County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Spencer County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Indiana statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for IN
- 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 IN counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Spencer County, Indiana?
Spencer County recorded 45 total traffic fatalities across 39 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 8 fatalities. The county averages approximately 5.0 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Spencer County?
Cause-code breakdowns are not individually published for Spencer County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Indiana may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Spencer County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Spencer 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 Spencer County?
Spencer County has a fatality rate of 40.2 per 100,000 residents, which puts it among the most dangerous one in ten U.S. counties by that per-capita measure among the 3,137 U.S. counties in this dataset.
Where does Spencer County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Spencer County ranks #180 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #1 of 84 rated counties in IN, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Spencer County compare to the rest of Indiana?
Spencer County's per-capita rate of 40.2 per 100,000 residents is above the Indiana county average of 16.9. Visit the Indiana state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Spencer 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.