What explains the variation in local communal violence in ethnofederal states? Previous research was primarily concerned with the link between ethnic autonomy and secessionist conflict – what has, however, received little attention are the consequences of ethnic autonomy arrangements for local communal violence. In this article, we therefore move the focus away from violence directed at the centre, characteristic of secessionist conflicts, towards violence between ethnic groups at the local level. We expect titular groups to aggressively monopolize local political power in what they perceive as ‘their’ ethnic homeland. Moreover, we expect a deepening of localized grievances of increasingly marginalized non-titular groups. Those two distinct mechanisms explain why we are likely to see an increase in local communal violence between titular and non-titular groups who share local ‘space’ in ethnofederations. In order to test our arguments, we conduct a subnational analysis of the second-level administrative units of Ethiopia’s ethnofederal system using a combination of a large number of georeferenced data sources. The analysis is further substantiated with original interview data gathered during field research, which allows us to illustrate our theorized mechanisms empirically. The findings largely support our argument – constellations where titular and non-titular groups share ‘space’ increase the risk of conflict. We add to the emerging quantitative literature on communal violence while at the same time addressing an often overlooked aspect of ethnic autonomy, allowing us to paint a more accurate picture of local conflict dynamics in ethnofederal states.