The United States death rate has seen a notable decline of 3.8% in 2024, as new provisional data reveals that COVID-19 has fallen out of the top 10 leading causes of death for the first time in four years. According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), the overall death rate dropped from 750.5 per 100,000 people in 2023 to 722 per 100,000 in 2024. This marks the lowest death rate recorded since 2020, the year the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, and follows a trend of decreasing rates that began in 2022.
The report highlights a decrease in overall deaths, which fell from 3.09 million in 2023 to 3.07 million in 2024. The leading causes of death remained unchanged from the previous year, with heart disease at the forefront, followed closely by cancer and unintentional injuries. Notably, suicide has now replaced COVID-19 as the 10th leading underlying cause of death, marking a significant shift as the virus exits the top 10 list for the first time since 2020.
Farida Ahmad, the corresponding author of the report and a health scientist at NCHS, remarked on this noteworthy change, stating, "It's pretty noteworthy that COVID-19 fell off the top 10 and suicide, which had fallen off in recent years, is ranked again." Ahmad attributes the 3.8% decline in death rates to the reduction in COVID-19 fatalities in 2024 compared to 2023. "Ever since it came onto the scene in 2020, COVID was one of the top 10 leading causes of death,” she highlighted.
Dr. Sharonne Hayes, a professor of cardiovascular medicine at the Mayo Clinic, also agrees that the reduction in COVID-19 cases contributes significantly to the drop in mortality rates. "I think there's a little less COVID; that's part of it," she stated, acknowledging the pandemic's impact on overall health and rising risk factors associated with cardiovascular diseases.
Another factor contributing to the decrease in deaths may be the significant decline in drug overdose deaths. A CDC report from May revealed that U.S. drug overdose deaths fell by nearly 27% in 2024, reaching the lowest levels seen in five years. Dr. Katie Schmitz, a cancer epidemiologist at the University of Pittsburgh, noted that the leading causes of death, including cardiac disease and cancer-related deaths, persist due to an aging population and underlying health issues such as obesity.
The report also indicates a decrease in death rates across all racial and ethnic groups, with the lowest rates observed among multiracial individuals at 332.3 per 100,000 and the highest among the Black population at 884 per 100,000. Additionally, death rates fell across all age groups except for infants under one year old. Notably, children aged 5 to 14 experienced the lowest death rates at 14.4 per 100,000, while individuals aged 85 and older faced the highest rates at 13,835.5 per 100,000.
Experts emphasize the importance of investing in preventative health measures, particularly in addressing the rising rates of obesity and ensuring access to early screenings, which often vary by socioeconomic status and geographic location. Dr. Hayes noted the challenge of making lifestyle changes but emphasized their significance in reducing the risk of leading causes of death, such as heart disease and cancer. "Eating more vegetables, decreasing saturated fat, and maintaining a healthy weight can significantly impact risks associated with stroke, cancer, heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, and diabetes," she advised.
In conclusion, the findings from the NCHS report reflect a positive trend in the United States death rate, largely driven by the decline in COVID-19 deaths and drug overdoses. The data underscores the need for continued focus on preventative health measures to further reduce mortality rates across various demographics.
