COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Whatcom County, Washington
Road fatality data for Whatcom County (WA). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 127
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 20
- Latest Year Deaths
- High count
- 8.6
- Per 100k Residents
- Well below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Rising fatality trend
Whatcom County's FARS series is labeled Increasing with 20 deaths in the latest year.
Whatcom County on a rising FARS trend
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Whatcom County ranks #1,909 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #28 of 35 rated counties in WA. Whatcom County's fatality rate of 8.6 per 100,000 residents leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure.
- #1,909 of 2,328
- lower-rate third
- #555 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #28 of 35
- in WA by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
FARS milepost strip
Milepost WHATCOM-73 · Whatcom 8.6/100k · #1,909 of 2,328
Whatcom County · 8.6/100k · increasing
- MILE 8.6/100k
- POST #1,909 of 2,328
- BAND 127 book
- VOL Increasing
- AVG 119 crash
- YOY -47.9% vs WA
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 → · Washington state profile →
How does Whatcom County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Whatcom County is 48% 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 Washington, Whatcom County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 16.5 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Whatcom County's rate and the state average is 7.9 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Cowlitz County, at 14.2 per 100,000 (a difference of 5.6). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Lincoln County (59.6), Adams County (48.0), Kittitas County (35.2), Mason County (29.2), Jefferson County (23.7), Grant County (23.4), Pend Oreille County (20.9), Pacific County (20.7), Lewis County (19.7), Stevens County (18.4), Yakima County (18.3), Klickitat County (17.0), Skamania County (15.8), Cowlitz County (14.2).
Whatcom County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
9 Among the safer counties a lower per-capita rate than 82% 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 Whatcom County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Whatcom County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Washington statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for WA
- 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 WLetter index including WA counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Whatcom County, Washington?
Whatcom County recorded 127 total traffic fatalities across 119 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 20 fatalities. The county averages approximately 14.1 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Whatcom County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (119 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Whatcom County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Washington may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Whatcom County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Whatcom 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 Whatcom County?
Whatcom County has a fatality rate of 8.6 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 Whatcom County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Whatcom County ranks #1,909 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #28 of 35 rated counties in WA, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Whatcom County compare to the rest of Washington?
Whatcom County's per-capita rate of 8.6 per 100,000 residents is below the Washington county average of 16.5. Visit the Washington state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Whatcom 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.