In the United States in 2021, the death rate was highest among those aged 85 and over, with about 17,190.5 men and 14,914.5 women per 100,000 of the population passing away. For all ages, the death rate was at 1,118.2 per 100,000 of the population for males, and 970.8 per 100,000 of the population for women. The death rate Death rates generally are counted as the number of deaths per 1,000 or 100,000 of the population and include both deaths of natural and unnatural causes. The death rate in the United States had pretty much held steady since 1990 until it started to increase over the last decade, with the highest death rates recorded in recent years. While the birth rate in the United States has been decreasing, it is still currently higher than the death rate. Causes of death There are a myriad number of causes of death in the United States, but the most recent data shows the top three leading causes of death to be heart disease, cancers, and accidents. Heart disease was also the leading cause of death worldwide.

Number of deaths and mortality rates, by age group, sex, and place of residence, 1991 to most recent year.

This dataset of U.S. mortality trends since 1900 highlights trends in age-adjusted death rates for five selected major causes of death. Age-adjusted death rates (deaths per 100,000) after 1998 are calculated based on the 2000 U.S. standard population. Populations used for computing death rates for 2011–2017 are postcensal estimates based on the 2010 census, estimated as of July 1, 2010. Rates for census years are based on populations enumerated in the corresponding censuses. Rates for noncensus years between 2000 and 2010 are revised using updated intercensal population estimates and may differ from rates previously published. Data on age-adjusted death rates prior to 1999 are taken from historical data (see References below). Revisions to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) over time may result in discontinuities in cause-of-death trends. SOURCES CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System, historical data, 1900-1998 (see https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/mortality_historical_data.htm); CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System, mortality data (see http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/deaths.htm); and CDC WONDER (see http://wonder.cdc.gov). REFERENCES National Center for Health Statistics, Data Warehouse. Comparability of cause-of-death between ICD revisions. 2008. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/mortality/comparability_icd.htm. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital statistics data available. Mortality multiple cause files. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data_access/vitalstatsonline.htm. Kochanek KD, Murphy SL, Xu JQ, Arias E. Deaths: Final data for 2017. National Vital Statistics Reports; vol 68 no 9. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2019. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr68/nvsr68_09-508.pdf. Arias E, Xu JQ. United States life tables, 2017. National Vital Statistics Reports; vol 68 no 7. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2019. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr68/nvsr68_07-508.pdf. National Center for Health Statistics. Historical Data, 1900-1998. 2009. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/mortality_historical_data.htm.

Death statistics (i) Number of Deaths for Different Sexes and Crude Death Rate for the Period from 1981 to 2023 (ii) Age-standardised Death Rate (Overall and by Sex) for the Period from 1981 to 2023 (iii) Age-specific Death Rate for Year 2013 and 2023 (iv) Death Rates by Leading Causes of Death for the Period from 2001 to 2023 (v) Number of Deaths by Leading Causes of Death for the Period from 2001 to 2023 (vi) Age-standardised Death Rates by Leading Causes of Death for the Period from 2001 to 2023 (vii) Late Foetal Mortality Rate for the Period from 1981 to 2023 (viii) Perinatal Mortality Rate for the Period from 1981 to 2023 (ix) Neonatal Mortality Rate for the Period from 1981 to 2023 (x) Infant Mortality Rate for the Period from 1981 to 2023 (xi) Number of Maternal Deaths for the Period from 1981 to 2023 (xii) Maternal Mortality Ratio for the Period from 1981 to 2023

Among COVID-19 patients in the United States from February 12 to March 16, 2020, estimated case-fatality rates were highest for adults aged 85 years and older. Younger people appeared to have milder symptoms, and there were no deaths reported among persons aged 19 years and under.

Tracking the virus in the United States The outbreak of a previously unknown viral pneumonia was first reported in China toward the end of December 2019. The first U.S. case of COVID-19 was recorded in mid-January 2020, confirmed in a patient who had returned to the United States from China. The virus quickly started to spread, and the first community-acquired case was confirmed one month later in California. Overall, there had been approximately 4.5 million coronavirus cases in the country by the start of August 2020.

U.S. health care system stretched California, Florida, and Texas are among the states with the most coronavirus cases. Even the best-resourced hospitals in the United States have struggled to cope with the crisis, and certain areas of the country were dealt further blows by new waves of infections in July 2020. Attention is rightly focused on fighting the pandemic, but as health workers are redirected to care for COVID-19 patients, the United States must not lose sight of other important health care issues.

Number of deaths and age-specific mortality rates for selected grouped causes, by age group and sex, 2000 to most recent year.

Mortality rates (qx) values from the national life tables release, presented in time series format. These statistics are for males and females for England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the UK.

In 2023, the age-specific death rate for men aged 90 or over in England and Wales was 248.1 per one thousand population, and 215.1 for women. Except for infants that were under the age of one, younger age groups had the lowest death rate, with the death rate getting progressively higher in older age groups.

Number and percentage of deaths, by age group, sex, and place of residence, 1991 to most recent year.

In 2021, the highest number of deaths per one thousand inhabitants in Russia for both genders occurred among age groups of 80 years and up. In general, the male population had a much higher mortality rate, especially in the age groups from 50 years and older.

Age-adjustment mortality rates are rates of deaths that are computed using a statistical method to create a metric based on the true death rate so that it can be compared over time for a single population (i.e. comparing 2006-2008 to 2010-2012), as well as enable comparisons across different populations with possibly different age distributions in their populations (i.e. comparing Hispanic residents to Asian residents). Age adjustment methods applied to Montgomery County rates are consistent with US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) as well as Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Vital Statistics Administration (DHMH VSA). PHS Planning and Epidemiology receives an annual data file of Montgomery County resident deaths registered with Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Vital Statistics Administration (DHMH VSA). Using SAS analytic software, MCDHHS standardizes, aggregates, and calculates age-adjusted rates for each of the leading causes of death category consistent with state and national methods and by subgroups based on age, gender, race, and ethnicity combinations. Data are released in compliance with Data Use Agreements between DHMH VSA and MCDHHS. This dataset will be updated Annually.

Monthly COVID-19 death rates per 100,000 population stratified by age group, race/ethnicity, sex, and region, with race/ethnicity by age group and age group by race/ethnicity double stratification

Data for CDC’s COVID Data Tracker site on Rates of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths by Vaccination Status. Click 'More' for important dataset description and footnotes

Dataset and data visualization details: These data were posted on October 21, 2022, archived on November 18, 2022, and revised on February 22, 2023. These data reflect cases among persons with a positive specimen collection date through September 24, 2022, and deaths among persons with a positive specimen collection date through September 3, 2022.

Vaccination status: A person vaccinated with a primary series had SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antigen detected on a respiratory specimen collected ≥14 days after verifiably completing the primary series of an FDA-authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine. An unvaccinated person had SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antigen detected on a respiratory specimen and has not been verified to have received COVID-19 vaccine. Excluded were partially vaccinated people who received at least one FDA-authorized vaccine dose but did not complete a primary series ≥14 days before collection of a specimen where SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antigen was detected. Additional or booster dose: A person vaccinated with a primary series and an additional or booster dose had SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antigen detected on a respiratory specimen collected ≥14 days after receipt of an additional or booster dose of any COVID-19 vaccine on or after August 13, 2021. For people ages 18 years and older, data are graphed starting the week including September 24, 2021, when a COVID-19 booster dose was first recommended by CDC for adults 65+ years old and people in certain populations and high risk occupational and institutional settings. For people ages 12-17 years, data are graphed starting the week of December 26, 2021, 2 weeks after the first recommendation for a booster dose for adolescents ages 16-17 years. For people ages 5-11 years, data are included starting the week of June 5, 2022, 2 weeks after the first recommendation for a booster dose for children aged 5-11 years. For people ages 50 years and older, data on second booster doses are graphed starting the week including March 29, 2022, when the recommendation was made for second boosters. Vertical lines represent dates when changes occurred in U.S. policy for COVID-19 vaccination (details provided above). Reporting is by primary series vaccine type rather than additional or booster dose vaccine type. The booster dose vaccine type may be different than the primary series vaccine type. ** Because data on the immune status of cases and associated deaths are unavailable, an additional dose in an immunocompromised person cannot be distinguished from a booster dose. This is a relevant consideration because vaccines can be less effective in this group. Deaths: A COVID-19–associated death occurred in a person with a documented COVID-19 diagnosis who died; health department staff reviewed to make a determination using vital records, public health investigation, or other data sources. Rates of COVID-19 deaths by vaccination status are reported based on when the patient was tested for COVID-19, not the date they died. Deaths usually occur up to 30 days after COVID-19 diagnosis. Participating jurisdictions: Currently, these 31 health departments that regularly link their case surveillance to immunization information system data are included in these incidence rate estimates: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, New York City (New York), North Carolina, Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, and West Virginia; 30 jurisdictions also report deaths among vaccinated and unvaccinated people. These jurisdictions represent 72% of the total U.S. population and all ten of the Health and Human Services Regions. Data on cases among people who received additional or booster doses were reported from 31 jurisdictions; 30 jurisdictions also reported data on deaths among people who received one or more additional or booster dose; 28 jurisdictions reported cases among people who received two or more additional or booster doses; and 26 jurisdictions reported deaths among people who received two or more additional or booster doses. This list will be updated as more jurisdictions participate. Incidence rate estimates: Weekly age-specific incidence rates by vaccination status were calculated as the number of cases or deaths divided by the number of people vaccinated with a primary series, overall or with/without a booster dose (cumulative) or unvaccinated (obtained by subtracting the cumulative number of people vaccinated with a primary series and partially vaccinated people from the 2019 U.S. intercensal population estimates) and multiplied by 100,000. Overall incidence rates were age-standardized using the 2000 U.S. Census standard population. To estimate population counts for ages 6 months through 1 year, half of the single-year population counts for ages 0 through 1 year were used. All rates are plotted by positive specimen collection date to reflect when incident infections occurred. For the primary series analysis, age-standardized rates include ages 12 years and older from April 4, 2021 through December 4, 2021, ages 5 years and older from December 5, 2021 through July 30, 2022 and ages 6 months and older from July 31, 2022 onwards. For the booster dose analysis, age-standardized rates include ages 18 years and older from September 19, 2021 through December 25, 2021, ages 12 years and older from December 26, 2021, and ages 5 years and older from June 5, 2022 onwards. Small numbers could contribute to less precision when calculating death rates among some groups. Continuity correction: A continuity correction has been applied to the denominators by capping the percent population coverage at 95%. To do this, we assumed that at least 5% of each age group would always be unvaccinated in each jurisdiction. Adding this correction ensures that there is always a reasonable denominator for the unvaccinated population that would prevent incidence and death rates from growing unrealistically large due to potential overestimates of vaccination coverage. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs): IRRs for the past one month were calculated by dividing the average weekly incidence rates among unvaccinated people by that among people vaccinated with a primary series either overall or with a booster dose. Publications: Scobie HM, Johnson AG, Suthar AB, et al. Monitoring Incidence of COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations, and Deaths, by Vaccination Status — 13 U.S. Jurisdictions, April 4–July 17, 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021;70:1284–1290. Johnson AG, Amin AB, Ali AR, et al. COVID-19 Incidence and Death Rates Among Unvaccinated and Fully Vaccinated Adults with and Without Booster Doses During Periods of Delta and Omicron Variant Emergence — 25 U.S. Jurisdictions, April 4–December 25, 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022;71:132–138

Dataset from Singapore Department of Statistics. For more information, visit https://data.gov.sg/datasets/d_0d64da52342e43d864bc84898ba6835f/view

Data for CDC’s COVID Data Tracker site on Rates of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths by Updated (Bivalent) Booster Status. Click 'More' for important dataset description and footnotes

Webpage: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#rates-by-vaccine-status

Dataset and data visualization details:

These data were posted and archived on May 30, 2023 and reflect cases among persons with a positive specimen collection date through April 22, 2023, and deaths among persons with a positive specimen collection date through April 1, 2023. These data will no longer be updated after May 2023.

Vaccination status: A person vaccinated with at least a primary series had SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antigen detected on a respiratory specimen collected ≥14 days after verifiably completing the primary series of an FDA-authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine. An unvaccinated person had SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antigen detected on a respiratory specimen and has not been verified to have received COVID-19 vaccine. Excluded were partially vaccinated people who received at least one FDA-authorized vaccine dose but did not complete a primary series ≥14 days before collection of a specimen where SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antigen was detected. A person vaccinated with a primary series and a monovalent booster dose had SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antigen detected on a respiratory specimen collected ≥14 days after verifiably receiving a primary series of an FDA-authorized or approved vaccine and at least one additional dose of any monovalent FDA-authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine on or after August 13, 2021. (Note: this definition does not distinguish between vaccine recipients who are immunocompromised and are receiving an additional dose versus those who are not immunocompromised and receiving a booster dose.) A person vaccinated with a primary series and an updated (bivalent) booster dose had SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antigen detected in a respiratory specimen collected ≥14 days after verifiably receiving a primary series of an FDA-authorized or approved vaccine and an additional dose of any bivalent FDA-authorized or approved vaccine COVID-19 vaccine on or after September 1, 2022. (Note: Doses with bivalent doses reported as first or second doses are classified as vaccinated with a bivalent booster dose.) People with primary series or a monovalent booster dose were combined in the “vaccinated without an updated booster” category.

Deaths: A COVID-19–associated death occurred in a person with a documented COVID-19 diagnosis who died; health department staff reviewed to make a determination using vital records, public health investigation, or other data sources. Per the interim guidance of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE), this should include persons whose death certificate lists COVID-19 disease or SARS-CoV-2 as the underlying cause of death or as a significant condition contributing to death. Rates of COVID-19 deaths by vaccination status are primarily reported based on when the patient was tested for COVID-19. In select jurisdictions, deaths are included that are not laboratory confirmed and are reported based on alternative dates (i.e., onset date for most; or date of death or report date, where onset date is unavailable). Deaths usually occur up to 30 days after COVID-19 diagnosis.

Participating jurisdictions: Currently, these 24 health departments that regularly link their case surveillance to immunization information system data are included in these incidence rate estimates: Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, New York City (NY), North Carolina, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia; 23 jurisdictions also report deaths among vaccinated and unvaccinated people. These jurisdictions represent 48% of the total U.S. population and all ten of the Health and Human Services Regions. This list will be updated as more jurisdictions participate.

Incidence rate estimates: Weekly age-specific incidence rates by vaccination status were calculated as the number of cases or deaths divided by the number of people vaccinated with a primary series, overall or with/without a booster dose (cumulative) or unvaccinated (obtained by subtracting the cumulative number of people vaccinated with at least a primary series and partially vaccinated people from the 2019 U.S. intercensal population estimates) and multiplied by 100,000. Overall incidence rates were age-standardized using the 2000 U.S. Census standard population. To estimate population counts for ages 6-12 months, half of the single-year population counts for ages <12 months were used. All rates are plotted by positive specimen collection date to reflect when incident infections occurred.

Continuity correction: A continuity correction has been applied to the denominators by capping the percent population coverage at 95%. To do this, we assumed that at least 5% of each age group would always be unvaccinated in each jurisdiction. Adding this correction ensures that there is always a reasonable denominator for the unvaccinated population that would prevent incidence and death rates from growing unrealistically large due to potential overestimates of vaccination coverage.

Incidence rate ratios (IRRs): IRRs for the past one month were calculated by dividing the average weekly incidence rates among unvaccinated people by that among people vaccinated without an updated (bivalent) booster dose) or vaccinated with an updated (bivalent) booster dose.

Archive: An archive of historic data, including April 3, 2021-September 24, 2022 and posted on October 21, 2022 is available on data.cdc.gov. The analysis by vaccination status (unvaccinated and at least a primary series) for 31 jurisdictions is posted here: https://data.cdc.gov/Public-Health-Surveillance/Rates-of-COVID-19-Cases-or-Deaths-by-Age-Group-and/3rge-nu2a. The analysis for one booster dose (unvaccinated, primary series only, and at least one booster dose) in 31 jurisdictions is posted here: https://data.cdc.gov/Public-Health-Surveillance/Rates-of-COVID-19-Cases-or-Deaths-by-Age-Group-and/d6p8-wqjm. The analysis for two booster doses (unvaccinated, primary series only, one booster dose, and at least two booster doses) in 28 jurisdictions is posted here: https://data.cdc.gov/Public-Health-Surveillance/Rates-of-COVID-19-Cases-or-Deaths-by-Age-Group-and/ukww-au2k.

References

Scobie HM, Johnson AG, Suthar AB, et al. Monitoring Incidence of COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations, and Deaths, by Vaccination Status — 13 U.S. Jurisdictions, April 4–July 17, 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021;70:1284–1290.

Johnson AG, Amin AB, Ali AR, et al. COVID-19 Incidence and Death Rates Among Unvaccinated and Fully Vaccinated Adults with and Without Booster Doses During Periods of Delta and Omicron Variant Emergence — 25 U.S. Jurisdictions, April 4–December 25, 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022;71:132–138

Johnson AG, Linde L, Ali AR, et al. COVID-19 Incidence and Mortality Among Unvaccinated and Vaccinated Persons Aged ≥12 Years by Receipt of Bivalent Booster Doses and Time Since Vaccination — 24 U.S. Jurisdictions, October 3, 2021–December 24, 2022. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2023;72:145–152

This dataset of U.S. mortality trends since 1900 highlights childhood mortality rates by age group for age at death. Age-adjusted death rates (deaths per 100,000) after 1998 are calculated based on the 2000 U.S. standard population. Populations used for computing death rates for 2011–2017 are postcensal estimates based on the 2010 census, estimated as of July 1, 2010. Rates for census years are based on populations enumerated in the corresponding censuses. Rates for noncensus years between 2000 and 2010 are revised using updated intercensal population estimates and may differ from rates previously published. Data on age-adjusted death rates prior to 1999 are taken from historical data (see References below). Age groups for childhood death rates are based on age at death. SOURCES CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System, historical data, 1900-1998 (see https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/mortality_historical_data.htm); CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System, mortality data (see http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/deaths.htm); and CDC WONDER (see http://wonder.cdc.gov). REFERENCES National Center for Health Statistics, Data Warehouse. Comparability of cause-of-death between ICD revisions. 2008. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/mortality/comparability_icd.htm. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital statistics data available. Mortality multiple cause files. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data_access/vitalstatsonline.htm. Kochanek KD, Murphy SL, Xu JQ, Arias E. Deaths: Final data for 2017. National Vital Statistics Reports; vol 68 no 9. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2019. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr68/nvsr68_09-508.pdf. Arias E, Xu JQ. United States life tables, 2017. National Vital Statistics Reports; vol 68 no 7. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2019. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr68/nvsr68_07-508.pdf. National Center for Health Statistics. Historical Data, 1900-1998. 2009. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/mortality_historical_data.htm.

In 2019, the death rate for adults in the United States aged 65 years and older was around 3,917 per 100,000 population, a decrease from a death rate of 5,144 per 100,000 in the year 2000. This statistic shows the death rates for adults in the United States aged 65 years and older from 2000 to 2019, by age.

Rank, number of deaths, percentage of deaths, and age-specific mortality rates for the leading causes of death, by age group and sex, 2000 to most recent year.

Introduction

US Death Statistics: The figures on the death of persons in the United States are an unequivocal depiction of the challenges the health, economy, and social frameworks of the country are facing. In the year 2024, many deaths can be attributed to a range of natural as well as artificial reasons, such as old age, illnesses, and accidents. However, heart disease and cancers continue to be the malignancies causing most deaths.

This article goes in-depth on these US death Statistics with the assistance of some recent numeric updates, figures, and clear descriptions, which layer the main aspects of death occurrences in the U.S. population.

According to data in India across different age groups from 60 to 85 years and above, the trend indicates a general fall in death rates in the country in the past ten years. In the age-group from 60-64 years there were approximately 22.5 deaths per thousand population in 2008, while in 2013 it was down to 18.4 and increasing slightly in 2018 to 19.5 deaths per thousand population. This was, however, still lower than in 2008.