Rankings · Counties

Deadliest counties in California

Counties in California ranked by traffic deaths across 2020–2024, and by their average yearly death rate. Counties with more residents and more road miles tend to have more deaths, so the rate is the fairer comparison.

Most traffic deaths, 2020–2024

#	County	Deaths 2020–2024	Deaths 2024	Per 100,000 a year
1	Los Angeles County	4,095	778	8.4
2	San Bernardino County	1,988	350	18.1
3	Riverside County	1,618	289	13.1
4	San Diego County	1,486	303	9.0
5	Orange County	1,103	199	7.0
6	Kern County	1,028	194	22.5
7	Sacramento County	963	156	12.1
8	Fresno County	907	169	17.8
9	San Joaquin County	669	139	16.8
10	Santa Clara County	584	100	6.2
11	Alameda County	517	100	6.3
12	Stanislaus County	468	88	16.9
13	Contra Costa County	432	66	7.4
14	Tulare County	411	72	17.2
15	Ventura County	307	58	7.3
16	Merced County	289	46	19.9
17	Solano County	245	41	10.8
18	Monterey County	238	45	10.9
19	Butte County	203	34	19.5
20	Santa Barbara County	196	38	8.8
21	San Francisco County	191	48	4.6
22	San Mateo County	191	30	5.1
23	Placer County	190	40	9.1
24	Madera County	179	33	22.2
25	Sonoma County	179	29	7.4
26	Imperial County	167	26	18.5
27	Shasta County	165	33	18.2
28	Kings County	160	30	20.9
29	Yolo County	137	21	12.5
30	San Luis Obispo County	134	30	9.5
31	Santa Cruz County	114	16	8.6
32	Humboldt County	113	26	16.8
33	El Dorado County	108	17	11.2
34	Lake County	101	25	29.6
35	Mendocino County	98	14	21.7
36	Yuba County	92	14	21.8
37	Sutter County	89	20	18.0
38	Nevada County	79	8	15.4
39	Tehama County	79	13	24.2
40	Napa County	78	11	11.6
41	Siskiyou County	73	12	33.6
42	Calaveras County	66	13	28.5
43	Tuolumne County	66	11	24.2
44	San Benito County	62	11	18.4
45	Amador County	56	7	27.1
46	Marin County	54	11	4.2
47	Inyo County	49	15	52.6
48	Lassen County	45	3	29.6
49	Glenn County	40	8	28.1
50	Trinity County	40	6	50.4

Highest death rates, 2020–2024

Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, averaged over 2020–2024. Only counties with at least 20 deaths in that time are ranked, because rates based on fewer deaths swing too much from year to year to compare. The rate divides deaths by the people who live in a county, so small counties crossed by busy highways can rank high: many of the people who die there are travelling through. How rates are worked out

#	County	Deaths 2020–2024	Deaths 2024	Per 100,000 a year
1	Inyo County	49	15	52.6
2	Trinity County	40	6	50.4
3	Colusa County	38	8	34.6
4	Siskiyou County	73	12	33.6
5	Lake County	101	25	29.6
6	Lassen County	45	3	29.6
7	Calaveras County	66	13	28.5
8	Glenn County	40	8	28.1
9	Amador County	56	7	27.1
10	Tehama County	79	13	24.2
11	Tuolumne County	66	11	24.2
12	Kern County	1,028	194	22.5
13	Madera County	179	33	22.2
14	Yuba County	92	14	21.8
15	Mendocino County	98	14	21.7
16	Kings County	160	30	20.9
17	Merced County	289	46	19.9
18	Butte County	203	34	19.5
19	Del Norte County	26	6	19.2
20	Imperial County	167	26	18.5
21	San Benito County	62	11	18.4
22	Shasta County	165	33	18.2
23	San Bernardino County	1,988	350	18.1
24	Sutter County	89	20	18.0
25	Fresno County	907	169	17.8
26	Tulare County	411	72	17.2
27	Stanislaus County	468	88	16.9
28	Humboldt County	113	26	16.8
29	San Joaquin County	669	139	16.8
30	Nevada County	79	8	15.4
31	Riverside County	1,618	289	13.1
32	Yolo County	137	21	12.5
33	Sacramento County	963	156	12.1
34	Napa County	78	11	11.6
35	El Dorado County	108	17	11.2
36	Monterey County	238	45	10.9
37	Solano County	245	41	10.8
38	San Luis Obispo County	134	30	9.5
39	Placer County	190	40	9.1
40	San Diego County	1,486	303	9.0
41	Santa Barbara County	196	38	8.8
42	Santa Cruz County	114	16	8.6
43	Los Angeles County	4,095	778	8.4
44	Contra Costa County	432	66	7.4
45	Sonoma County	179	29	7.4
46	Ventura County	307	58	7.3
47	Orange County	1,103	199	7.0
48	Alameda County	517	100	6.3
49	Santa Clara County	584	100	6.2
50	San Mateo County	191	30	5.1

Deadliest counties in the US · Deadliest roads in California