COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Union County: higher-rate fatality band
Union County (IA) is in the higher per-capita third: 50.4/100k (#87 of 2,328). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 14
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 6
- Latest Year Deaths
- Low count
- 50.4
- Per 100k Residents
- Well above average
- Stable
- Trend
Higher per-capita fatality band
Union County ranks #87 of 2,328 by deaths per 100,000 residents (50.4/100k) - top-third rate among rated U.S. counties.
Union County in the higher-rate third
According to NHTSA FARS, Union County sits in the higher-rate third at 50.4 per 100k (#87 of 2,328), #2 of 68 in IA.
- #87 of 2,328
- higher-rate third
- #2,647 of 3,137
- smaller-book third
- #2 of 68
- in IA by rate
- Stable
- fatality trend
NHTSA FARS milepost
Milepost UNION-175 · Union 50.4/100k · #87 of 2,328
Union County · 50.4/100k · stable
- PHOTO 50.4/100k
- VS-ST #87 of 2,328
- CRASH 14 book
- FARS Stable
- NHTSA 11 crash
- MILE +219.5% vs IA
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 → · Iowa state profile →
How does Union County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Union County is 3.2× 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 Iowa, Union County ranks 2 for per-capita risk, above the state's own per-capita average of 15.8 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 Union County's rate and the state average is 34.6 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Harrison County, at 47.7 per 100,000 (a difference of 2.7). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Louisa County (66.6), Harrison County (47.7), Cass County (38.1), Floyd County (32.6), Grundy County (32.3), Iowa County (30.5), Cedar County (27.3), Poweshiek County (27.1), Page County (26.6), Boone County (26.3), Winneshiek County (25.2), Wright County (23.7), Madison County (23.6), Webster County (21.9).
Union County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
50 Higher than most a lower per-capita rate than 4% 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 Union County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Union County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Iowa statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for IA
- 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 ULetter index including IA counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Union County, Iowa?
Union County recorded 14 total traffic fatalities across 11 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 6 fatalities. The county averages approximately 1.6 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Union County?
With a small recorded crash count (11), FARS does not publish an individual cause-code breakdown for Union County. Statewide data for Iowa may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Union County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Union County is stable. Fatality counts have remained relatively consistent over the data period.
What is the fatality rate per capita in Union County?
Union County has a fatality rate of 50.4 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 Union County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Union County ranks #87 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #2 of 68 rated counties in IA, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Union County compare to the rest of Iowa?
Union County's per-capita rate of 50.4 per 100,000 residents is above the Iowa county average of 15.8. Visit the Iowa state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Union 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.