Annual death rates at different ages in Ireland
Ireland: Annual death rates at different ages was 2.87 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Annual death rates at different ages in Ireland, 1950–2023
Source: Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 1,000 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual death rates at different ages in Ireland is 2.87 deaths per 1,000 people, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 2.5% on the previous year and down 20.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual death rates at different ages in Ireland peaked at 46.12 deaths per 1,000 people in 1951 and was at its lowest, 2.82 deaths per 1,000 people, in 2018.
That places Ireland 213th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual death rates at different ages in Ireland, year by year
| Year | deaths per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 45.97 deaths per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 46.12 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 1952 | 43.24 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.2% |
| 1953 | 39.94 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.6% |
| 1954 | 38.87 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1955 | 37.5 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 1956 | 36.25 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1957 | 34.02 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.2% |
| 1958 | 35.66 deaths per 1,000 people | +4.8% |
| 1959 | 32.72 deaths per 1,000 people | -8.3% |
| 1960 | 29.39 deaths per 1,000 people | -10.2% |
| 1961 | 30.13 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.5% |
| 1962 | 29.84 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1963 | 27.28 deaths per 1,000 people | -8.6% |
| 1964 | 27.23 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 25.3 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.1% |
| 1966 | 24.78 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1967 | 24.47 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1968 | 21.14 deaths per 1,000 people | -13.6% |
| 1969 | 21.03 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1970 | 19.79 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.9% |
| 1971 | 18.59 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.1% |
| 1972 | 18.42 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1973 | 18.14 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1974 | 18 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1975 | 17.44 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 1976 | 15.74 deaths per 1,000 people | -9.8% |
| 1977 | 15.81 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 15.04 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.9% |
| 1979 | 13.02 deaths per 1,000 people | -13.4% |
| 1980 | 11.25 deaths per 1,000 people | -13.6% |
| 1981 | 10.25 deaths per 1,000 people | -8.9% |
| 1982 | 10.5 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.4% |
| 1983 | 9.91 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.6% |
| 1984 | 9.56 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 1985 | 8.8 deaths per 1,000 people | -8.0% |
| 1986 | 8.95 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.6% |
| 1987 | 7.83 deaths per 1,000 people | -12.4% |
| 1988 | 8.61 deaths per 1,000 people | +9.9% |
| 1989 | 7.97 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.4% |
| 1990 | 8.3 deaths per 1,000 people | +4.2% |
| 1991 | 7.6 deaths per 1,000 people | -8.5% |
| 1992 | 6.37 deaths per 1,000 people | -16.1% |
| 1993 | 6.07 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.7% |
| 1994 | 5.71 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.9% |
| 1995 | 6.37 deaths per 1,000 people | +11.5% |
| 1996 | 6.2 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1997 | 6.24 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 6.01 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.7% |
| 1999 | 5.94 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2000 | 6.25 deaths per 1,000 people | +5.3% |
| 2001 | 6.06 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 2002 | 5.38 deaths per 1,000 people | -11.2% |
| 2003 | 5.41 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 4.69 deaths per 1,000 people | -13.2% |
| 2005 | 3.87 deaths per 1,000 people | -17.7% |
| 2006 | 4.07 deaths per 1,000 people | +5.3% |
| 2007 | 3.4 deaths per 1,000 people | -16.3% |
| 2008 | 3.92 deaths per 1,000 people | +15.2% |
| 2009 | 3.34 deaths per 1,000 people | -14.9% |
| 2010 | 3.68 deaths per 1,000 people | +10.2% |
| 2011 | 3.59 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 3.32 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.4% |
| 2013 | 3.59 deaths per 1,000 people | +8.1% |
| 2014 | 3.38 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.8% |
| 2015 | 3.52 deaths per 1,000 people | +4.0% |
| 2016 | 3.08 deaths per 1,000 people | -12.5% |
| 2017 | 2.99 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 2018 | 2.82 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.6% |
| 2019 | 3.15 deaths per 1,000 people | +11.6% |
| 2020 | 2.85 deaths per 1,000 people | -9.5% |
| 2021 | 3.32 deaths per 1,000 people | +16.5% |
| 2022 | 2.94 deaths per 1,000 people | -11.3% |
| 2023 | 2.87 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 2.87 deaths per 1,000 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.46 deaths per 1,000 people, 64% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 2.87 deaths per 1,000 people is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3.53 deaths per 1,000 people, 81% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 39.03 deaths per 1,000 people | 32.72 deaths per 1,000 people | 46.12 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 26.06 deaths per 1,000 people | 21.03 deaths per 1,000 people | 30.13 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 17 deaths per 1,000 people | 13.02 deaths per 1,000 people | 19.79 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.36 deaths per 1,000 people | 7.83 deaths per 1,000 people | 11.25 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.48 deaths per 1,000 people | 5.71 deaths per 1,000 people | 8.3 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.64 deaths per 1,000 people | 3.34 deaths per 1,000 people | 6.25 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.31 deaths per 1,000 people | 2.82 deaths per 1,000 people | 3.68 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 3 deaths per 1,000 people | 2.85 deaths per 1,000 people | 3.32 deaths per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More health data for Ireland
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -4.76 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.89 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 20 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.7228 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.026 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.6489 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0274 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual death rates at different ages in Ireland?
- Annual death rates at different ages in Ireland was 2.87 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023, according to Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual death rates at different ages recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 46.12 deaths per 1,000 people in 1951.
- What is the lowest annual death rates at different ages recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.82 deaths per 1,000 people in 2018.
- How does Ireland rank for annual death rates at different ages?
- Ireland ranks 213th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual death rates at different ages rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual death rates at different ages. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Death rate, calculated as the number of deaths divided by the average number of people alive during the interval.