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Minnesota · county

Hennepin County

Residents 1,273,334Deaths 2024 55Deaths 2015–2024 509Latest data year 2024

FARS data are based on police crash reports and other sources; the drunk-driving measure is based on the highest BAC of any driver in the crash. Latest data year: 2024. Figures are aggregates from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System; no individual crash is identified.

In 2024, the latest year in FARS, Hennepin County (Minnesota) had 53 fatal crashes with 55 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 477 fatal crashes and 509 deaths.

With 1,273,334 residents, that is 4.0 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 45% lower than the Minnesota rate of 7.3 and below the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 18% from 430 in 2005–2014 to 509 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 25.1% against 11.1% for Minnesota.

31% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Saturday was the most common day (16%).

55deaths in 202453 fatal crashes
291deaths, 2020–2024509 over ten years
4.0per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 4.3
-45%vs Minnesota ratestate 7.3 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

060120197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 93 deaths1976: 87 deaths1977: 107 deaths1978: 119 deaths1979: 120 deaths1980: 93 deaths1981: 112 deaths1982: 60 deaths1983: 56 deaths1984: 67 deaths1985: 69 deaths1986: 73 deaths1987: 57 deaths1988: 91 deaths1989: 72 deaths1990: 66 deaths1991: 52 deaths1992: 55 deaths1993: 60 deaths1994: 65 deaths1995: 54 deaths1996: 52 deaths1997: 60 deaths1998: 67 deaths1999: 41 deaths2000: 51 deaths2001: 68 deaths2002: 61 deaths2003: 61 deaths2004: 48 deaths2005: 49 deaths2006: 40 deaths2007: 50 deaths2008: 53 deaths2009: 46 deaths2010: 38 deaths2011: 45 deaths2012: 33 deaths2013: 42 deaths2014: 34 deaths2015: 33 deaths2016: 45 deaths2017: 45 deaths2018: 57 deaths2019: 38 deaths2020: 46 deaths2021: 74 deaths2022: 61 deaths2023: 55 deaths2024: 55 deaths
People killed in crashes in Hennepin County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 55 deaths.

Ten-year total up 18% (430 in 2005–2014, 509 in 2015–2024). The shaded band is the ten-year window used for rates and shares. County codes are matched to today's Census county list; a few historic code changes are merged.

Compared with Minnesota and the nation

MeasureHennepinMinnesotaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–20244.07.311.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20244.38.211.5
Deaths, 2015–20245094,111389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20244773,788358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+18%-6%+7%
Crashes on rural roads3%58%43%

Rates divide deaths by Census Bureau population estimates for each year (residents, not road users; through traffic on major routes raises the rate of small counties). Population 1,273,334 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking31%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver37.1%
Pedestriansshare of people killed25.1%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed16.1%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used34.9%
In darknesscrashes after dark47.3%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads3.4%

tick marks the Minnesota share. Bars are shares of fatal crashes (alcohol, speeding, darkness, rural) or of people killed (pedestrians, motorcyclists, unrestrained occupants) over the ten-year window.

"Alcohol" counts crashes where police reported at least one driver as drinking (FARS DR_DRINK), not the BAC-based alcohol-impaired measure NHTSA publishes separately. "Speeding" counts crashes with a driver coded as racing, exceeding the limit or too fast for conditions. Details in the methodology. Factor pages: alcohol, speeding, pedestrians, motorcycles, unrestrained occupants.

Time of day and day of week

12am3am6am9am12pm3pm6pm9pm
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

Fatal crashes in Hennepin County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 477 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday16%
Friday15%
Wednesday15%
Monday14%
Sunday14%
Thursday14%
Tuesday12%

Light condition

Daylight49%
Dark, lighted41%
Dark, not lighted5%
Dusk2%
Dawn2%
Dark, lighting unknown1%

Road type

Minor arterial42%
Interstate18%
Other principal arterial13%
Major collector9%
Other freeways and expressways9%
Local9%
Minor collector0%

FHWA functional classes as coded in FARS (FUNC_SYS), share of fatal crashes with a reported class; tick marks the Minnesota share. Interstates and other principal arterials carry the most traffic, so a high share there is expected. See what the road classes mean.

Weather

Clear67%
Cloudy21%
Rain7%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain4%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow1%
Fog, smog or smoke0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Hennepin

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 94Interstate349710826%25%
2State Route 55State highway28576421%21%
3US Route 169US highway1911612525%23%
4Interstate 35WInterstate17283236%46%
5Interstate 494Interstate13202240%50%
6State Route 7State highway12374232%16%
7US Route 12US highway11333524%30%
8Interstate 35Interstate6848930%32%
9State Route 5State highway4212229%24%
10State Route 47State highway3434523%16%

Signed routes (Interstate, US and state highways) that have a page on this site, ranked by fatal crashes in this county over 2015–2024; "fatal crashes" and "deaths" columns are the statewide totals for the route. Local streets and county roads are not listed.

By year, 2015–2024

YearFatal crashesDeathsDrinking-driver crashesPer 100,000
20245355144.3MN 2024
2023485594.3MN 2023
20226061244.8MN 2022
20216874225.8MN 2021
20204146173.6MN 2020
20193838113.0MN 2019
20185257154.5MN 2018
20174345133.5MN 2017
20164345143.5MN 2016
2015313392.6MN 2015

Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule). Per-100,000 uses the 2024 population for every year in this table; the ten-year rate above uses each year's estimate.

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Hennepin County, Minnesota?

55 people died in 53 fatal crashes in 2024; 291 over 2020–2024 and 509 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Hennepin compare with Minnesota?

4.0 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 7.3 for Minnesota and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Hennepin involved alcohol?

31.0% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 30.3% in Minnesota. The factor furthest above the state share was pedestrians at 25.1%.

Which roads in Hennepin see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 94 (34 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), State Route 55 (28 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 169 (19 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Hennepin?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (31% of crashes) and on Saturdays (16%); 47.3% happened after dark.

Where does this data come from?

NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System annual files (1975–2024) and Census Bureau county population estimates. Figures are aggregates; no individual crash is identified. See the methodology page for definitions.

Provenance

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System, annual national CSV files 1975–2024 (accident table for every year; vehicle and person tables for 2015–2024), public domain. Population: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county totals (vintages 2000–2010, 2010–2020 and 2020–2024). Data through 31 Dec 2024; page generated 30 Sep 2026. Processing errors are corrected at the next build; see corrections and sources.