Cancer death rate by age group in New Zealand
New Zealand: Cancer death rate by age group was 3.36 deaths per 100,000 people in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2018)
3.36 deaths per 100,000 people
World rank
28th
of 111 countries
All-time high
13.54 deaths per 100,000 people
in 1978
All-time low
0 deaths per 100,000 people
in 1976
Years of data
69
1950–2018
Cancer death rate by age group in New Zealand, 1950–2018
Source: WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 people.
Analysis
In 2018, cancer death rate by age group in New Zealand stood at 3.36 deaths per 100,000 people.
The figure is up 115.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cancer death rate by age group in New Zealand peaked at 13.54 deaths per 100,000 people in 1978 and was at its lowest, 0 deaths per 100,000 people, in 1976.
New Zealand ranks 28th of 111 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Cancer death rate by age group in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 4.17 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 4.22 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.3% |
| 1952 | 6.04 deaths per 100,000 people | +43.1% |
| 1953 | 5.92 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1954 | 7.71 deaths per 100,000 people | +30.3% |
| 1955 | 5.59 deaths per 100,000 people | -27.5% |
| 1956 | 12.87 deaths per 100,000 people | +130.3% |
| 1957 | 3.55 deaths per 100,000 people | -72.4% |
| 1958 | 5.15 deaths per 100,000 people | +45.1% |
| 1959 | 6.66 deaths per 100,000 people | +29.3% |
| 1960 | 8.2 deaths per 100,000 people | +23.2% |
| 1961 | 6.49 deaths per 100,000 people | -20.8% |
| 1962 | 9.48 deaths per 100,000 people | +46.0% |
| 1963 | 4.69 deaths per 100,000 people | -50.5% |
| 1964 | 6.41 deaths per 100,000 people | +36.5% |
| 1965 | 1.65 deaths per 100,000 people | -74.3% |
| 1966 | 11.61 deaths per 100,000 people | +604.6% |
| 1967 | 12.88 deaths per 100,000 people | +11.0% |
| 1968 | 3.27 deaths per 100,000 people | -74.6% |
| 1969 | 1.63 deaths per 100,000 people | -50.2% |
| 1970 | 4.9 deaths per 100,000 people | +201.0% |
| 1971 | 8.09 deaths per 100,000 people | +65.0% |
| 1972 | 6.36 deaths per 100,000 people | -21.4% |
| 1973 | 3.26 deaths per 100,000 people | -48.8% |
| 1974 | 5.04 deaths per 100,000 people | +54.8% |
| 1975 | 3.51 deaths per 100,000 people | -30.3% |
| 1976 | 0 deaths per 100,000 people | -100.0% |
| 1977 | 0 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 1978 | 13.54 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 1979 | 9.82 deaths per 100,000 people | -27.4% |
| 1980 | 7.89 deaths per 100,000 people | -19.7% |
| 1981 | 5.96 deaths per 100,000 people | -24.4% |
| 1982 | 2.02 deaths per 100,000 people | -66.1% |
| 1983 | 5.99 deaths per 100,000 people | +196.4% |
| 1984 | 5.94 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1985 | 1.95 deaths per 100,000 people | -67.3% |
| 1986 | 0 deaths per 100,000 people | -100.0% |
| 1987 | 5.56 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 1988 | 3.56 deaths per 100,000 people | -35.9% |
| 1989 | 12.35 deaths per 100,000 people | +246.9% |
| 1990 | 1.73 deaths per 100,000 people | -86.0% |
| 1991 | 1.67 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1992 | 6.96 deaths per 100,000 people | +316.0% |
| 1993 | 1.78 deaths per 100,000 people | -74.5% |
| 1994 | 5.42 deaths per 100,000 people | +204.9% |
| 1995 | 3.61 deaths per 100,000 people | -33.3% |
| 1996 | 0 deaths per 100,000 people | -100.0% |
| 1997 | 1.75 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 1998 | 5.22 deaths per 100,000 people | +198.4% |
| 1999 | 5.41 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.7% |
| 2000 | 1.76 deaths per 100,000 people | -67.5% |
| 2001 | 5.37 deaths per 100,000 people | +205.9% |
| 2002 | 0 deaths per 100,000 people | -100.0% |
| 2003 | 5.43 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 2004 | 0 deaths per 100,000 people | -100.0% |
| 2005 | 10.39 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 2006 | 1.69 deaths per 100,000 people | -83.7% |
| 2007 | 6.47 deaths per 100,000 people | +282.2% |
| 2008 | 1.56 deaths per 100,000 people | -75.9% |
| 2009 | 6.34 deaths per 100,000 people | +306.5% |
| 2010 | 6.27 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 1.6 deaths per 100,000 people | -74.4% |
| 2012 | 3.3 deaths per 100,000 people | +105.9% |
| 2013 | 6.64 deaths per 100,000 people | +101.0% |
| 2014 | 3.37 deaths per 100,000 people | -49.2% |
| 2015 | 3.38 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 1.69 deaths per 100,000 people | -50.1% |
| 2017 | 0 deaths per 100,000 people | -100.0% |
| 2018 | 3.36 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 6.18 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.55 deaths per 100,000 people | 12.87 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 6.63 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.63 deaths per 100,000 people | 12.88 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.45 deaths per 100,000 people | 0 deaths per 100,000 people | 13.54 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.12 deaths per 100,000 people | 0 deaths per 100,000 people | 12.35 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.35 deaths per 100,000 people | 0 deaths per 100,000 people | 6.96 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.9 deaths per 100,000 people | 0 deaths per 100,000 people | 10.39 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.29 deaths per 100,000 people | 0 deaths per 100,000 people | 6.64 deaths per 100,000 people | 9 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 25 Bulgaria 3.56 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 26 Russia 3.45 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 27 Norway 3.37 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 29 Ecuador 3.3 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 30 Uzbekistan 3.23 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 31 Netherlands 3.04 deaths per 100,000 people compare
More health data for New Zealand
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.94 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.4815 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,116 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 33 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 75-79, female, annual growth rate 4.22 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per capita 0.019 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, annual growth rate 4.19 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per capita 0.0172 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cancer death rate by age group in New Zealand?
- Cancer death rate by age group in New Zealand was 3.36 deaths per 100,000 people in 2018, according to WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest cancer death rate by age group recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 13.54 deaths per 100,000 people in 1978.
- What is the lowest cancer death rate by age group recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 deaths per 100,000 people in 1976.
- How does New Zealand rank for cancer death rate by age group?
- New Zealand ranks 28th out of 111 countries with data for 2018.
- Is cancer death rate by age group rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 115.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Cancer death rate by age group. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 69 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Reported deaths from malignant neoplasms per 100,000 people in both sexes aged less than 1 year.