U.S. death rate returns to pre-pandemic levels
The U.S. death rate dropped to its lowest level since 2020, signaling a return to pre-COVID-19 trends, according to new provisional data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report, Mortality in the United States: Provisional Data, 2024, shows that the overall age-adjusted death rate declined by 3.8% in 2024 compared to the previous year.
A total of 3,072,039 deaths occurred in the U.S. in 2024. The overall age-adjusted mortality rate was 722 deaths per 100,000 people, down from 750.5 in 2023. Men had a higher death rate, at 844.8, than women, at 613.5. Death rates fell across nearly all age groups and racial and ethnic groups, though Black Americans continued to experience the highest mortality rate at 884 per 100,000.
The top three causes of death were heart disease, 683,037 deaths, cancer, 619,812, and unintentional injuries, 196,488. Suicide rose to the 10th leading cause, replacing COVID-19, which dropped out of the top 10 for the first time since the pandemic began.
“This report provides an early indication of shifts in mortality trends and can inform public health policies and interventions aimed at reducing mortality,” according to the report.
Despite the decline, officials cautioned the numbers are provisional and subject to change. Infant mortality rates did not improve, and data delays in certain jurisdictions may impact final figures.
Read more: CDC
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