COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Stearns County, Minnesota
Road fatality data for Stearns County (MN). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 98
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 16
- Latest Year Deaths
- High count
- 9.9
- Per 100k Residents
- Below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Rising fatality trend
Stearns County's FARS series is labeled Increasing with 16 deaths in the latest year.
Stearns County on a rising FARS trend
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Stearns County ranks #1,776 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #27 of 64 rated counties in MN. Stearns County's fatality rate of 9.9 per 100,000 residents leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure.
- #1,776 of 2,328
- lower-rate third
- #735 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #27 of 64
- in MN by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
NHTSA county milepost
Milepost STEARNS-145 · Stearns 9.9/100k · #1,776 of 2,328
Stearns County · 9.9/100k · increasing
- NHTSA 9.9/100k
- MILE #1,776 of 2,328
- POST 98 book
- BAND Increasing
- VOL 93 crash
- AVG -12.4% vs MN
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 → · Minnesota state profile →
How does Stearns County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Stearns 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 Minnesota, Stearns County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 11.3 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Stearns County's rate and the state average is 1.4 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Sherburne County, at 16.6 per 100,000 (a difference of 6.7). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Faribault County (36.0), Chippewa County (32.9), Kandiyohi County (29.7), Renville County (27.9), Watonwan County (27.1), Redwood County (26.2), Fillmore County (23.2), Houston County (21.5), Morrison County (20.4), Aitkin County (18.6), Lake County (18.4), Rice County (17.7), Becker County (17.0), Sherburne County (16.6).
Stearns 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 76% 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 Stearns County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Stearns County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Minnesota statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for MN
- 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 MN counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Stearns County, Minnesota?
Stearns County recorded 98 total traffic fatalities across 93 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 16 fatalities. The county averages approximately 10.9 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Stearns County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (93 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Stearns County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Minnesota may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Stearns County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Stearns 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 Stearns County?
Stearns County has a fatality rate of 9.9 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 Stearns County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Stearns County ranks #1,776 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #27 of 64 rated counties in MN, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Stearns County compare to the rest of Minnesota?
Stearns County's per-capita rate of 9.9 per 100,000 residents is below the Minnesota county average of 11.3. Visit the Minnesota state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Stearns 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.