COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Yellowstone County: larger FARS fatality book
Yellowstone County (MT) holds a larger FARS book (162, #415 of 3,137) with 27 latest-year deaths.
- 162
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 27
- Latest Year Deaths
- Very high count
- 15.8
- Per 100k Residents
- Below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Larger fatality book
Yellowstone County ranks #415 of 3,137 by total FARS fatalities (162 across 2016-2023) - top-third book size.
Yellowstone County in the larger-book third
According to NHTSA FARS, Yellowstone County carries a top-third fatality book (162 across 2016-2023, #415 of 3,137) at 15.8/100k.
- #1,189 of 2,328
- among rated U.S. counties by rate
- #415 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #12 of 19
- in MT by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
NHTSA FARS milepost
Milepost YELLOWSTONE- · Yellowstone 15.8/100k · #1,189 of 2,328
Yellowstone County · 15.8/100k · increasing
- YOY 15.8/100k
- RATE #1,189 of 2,328
- RANK 162 book
- BOOK Increasing
- TREND 146 crash
- CAUSE -35.2% vs MT
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 → · Montana state profile →
How does Yellowstone County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Yellowstone County is 35% 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 Montana, Yellowstone County ranks 12 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 24.4 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure. The gap between Yellowstone County's rate and the state average is 8.6 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Ravalli County, at 14.7 per 100,000 (a difference of 1.1). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Big Horn County (70.6), Carbon County (61.3), Lincoln County (41.1), Park County (33.5), Sanders County (29.2), Roosevelt County (29.1), Lake County (24.0), Jefferson County (23.0), Glacier County (22.0), Flathead County (20.2), Missoula County (18.9), Ravalli County (14.7), Gallatin County (13.4), Hill County (12.3).
Yellowstone County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
16 Lower than most a lower per-capita rate than 51% 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 Yellowstone County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Yellowstone County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Montana statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for MT
- 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 YLetter index including MT counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Yellowstone County, Montana?
Yellowstone County recorded 162 total traffic fatalities across 146 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 27 fatalities. The county averages approximately 18.0 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Yellowstone County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (146 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Yellowstone County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Montana may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Yellowstone County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Yellowstone 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 Yellowstone County?
Yellowstone County has a fatality rate of 15.8 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 Yellowstone County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Yellowstone County ranks #1,189 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #12 of 19 rated counties in MT, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Yellowstone County compare to the rest of Montana?
Yellowstone County's per-capita rate of 15.8 per 100,000 residents is below the Montana county average of 24.4. Visit the Montana state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Yellowstone 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.