COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Wilson County: larger FARS fatality book
Wilson County (TN) holds a larger FARS book (169, #398 of 3,137) with 25 latest-year deaths.
- 169
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 25
- Latest Year Deaths
- High count
- 15.3
- Per 100k Residents
- Below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Larger fatality book
Wilson County ranks #398 of 3,137 by total FARS fatalities (169 across 2016-2023) - top-third book size.
Wilson County in the larger-book third
According to NHTSA FARS, Wilson County carries a top-third fatality book (169 across 2016-2023, #398 of 3,137) at 15.3/100k.
- #1,242 of 2,328
- among rated U.S. counties by rate
- #398 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #57 of 87
- in TN by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
FARS county milepost
Milepost WILSON-189 · Wilson 15.3/100k · #1,242 of 2,328
Wilson County · 15.3/100k · increasing
- NHTSA 15.3/100k
- MILE #1,242 of 2,328
- POST 169 book
- BAND Increasing
- VOL 158 crash
- AVG -27.6% vs TN
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 → · Tennessee state profile →
How does Wilson County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Wilson County is 27% 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 Tennessee, Wilson County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 21.1 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure. The gap between Wilson County's rate and the state average is 5.8 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is McNairy County, at 30.6 per 100,000 (a difference of 15.3). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Haywood County (63.5), Crockett County (57.2), Cannon County (46.5), Bledsoe County (46.5), Meigs County (43.8), Jackson County (40.4), Cocke County (40.1), Henderson County (35.6), Campbell County (34.8), Macon County (33.6), Morgan County (32.4), McMinn County (32.3), Hardeman County (31.3), McNairy County (30.6).
Wilson County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
15 Lower than most a lower per-capita rate than 53% 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 Wilson County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Wilson County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Tennessee statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for TN
- 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 TN counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Wilson County, Tennessee?
Wilson County recorded 169 total traffic fatalities across 158 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 25 fatalities. The county averages approximately 18.8 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Wilson County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (158 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Wilson County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Tennessee may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Wilson County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Wilson 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 Wilson County?
Wilson County has a fatality rate of 15.3 per 100,000 residents, which places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure among the 3,137 U.S. counties in this dataset.
Where does Wilson County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Wilson County ranks #1,242 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #57 of 87 rated counties in TN, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Wilson County compare to the rest of Tennessee?
Wilson County's per-capita rate of 15.3 per 100,000 residents is below the Tennessee county average of 21.1. Visit the Tennessee state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Wilson 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.