What is child mortality in United States?

Child mortality in United States was 0.6472 deaths per 100 live births in 2024, according to Gapminder (2015); UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest child mortality recorded in United States?

The highest recorded value was 32.9 deaths per 100 live births in 1800.

What is the lowest child mortality recorded in United States?

The lowest recorded value was 0.6465 deaths per 100 live births in 2021.

How does United States rank for child mortality?

United States ranks 146th out of 203 countries with data for 2024.

Is child mortality rising or falling in United States?

Over the last ten years it is down 5.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this United States data come from?

The figures come from Gapminder (2015); UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Child mortality. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Child mortality in United States

Name: Child mortality in United States
Creator: Gapminder (2015); UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

United States: Child mortality was 0.6472 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)

0.6472 deaths per 100 live births

Change on year

down 0.2%

World rank

146th

of 203 countries

All-time high

32.9 deaths per 100 live births

in 1800

All-time low

0.6465 deaths per 100 live births

in 2021

Years of data

225

1800–2024

Child mortality in United States, 1800–2024

Source: Gapminder (2015); UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100 live births.

Analysis

In 2024, child mortality in United States stood at 0.6472 deaths per 100 live births.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 5.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, child mortality in United States peaked at 32.9 deaths per 100 live births in 1800 and was at its lowest, 0.6465 deaths per 100 live births, in 2021.

That places United States 146th out of 203 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1800s	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	10
1810s	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	10
1820s	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	10
1830s	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	10
1840s	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	10
1850s	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	10
1860s	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	10
1870s	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	10
1880s	30.08 deaths per 100 live births	27.4 deaths per 100 live births	32.9 deaths per 100 live births	10
1890s	25.14 deaths per 100 live births	23.47 deaths per 100 live births	26.8 deaths per 100 live births	10
1900s	21.66 deaths per 100 live births	19.39 deaths per 100 live births	23.17 deaths per 100 live births	10
1910s	18.74 deaths per 100 live births	16.88 deaths per 100 live births	23.93 deaths per 100 live births	10
1920s	13.15 deaths per 100 live births	9.75 deaths per 100 live births	16.76 deaths per 100 live births	10
1930s	7.64 deaths per 100 live births	6.29 deaths per 100 live births	9.07 deaths per 100 live births	10
1940s	4.97 deaths per 100 live births	3.87 deaths per 100 live births	6.18 deaths per 100 live births	10
1950s	3.37 deaths per 100 live births	3.06 deaths per 100 live births	3.76 deaths per 100 live births	10
1960s	2.73 deaths per 100 live births	2.41 deaths per 100 live births	3.01 deaths per 100 live births	10
1970s	1.93 deaths per 100 live births	1.56 deaths per 100 live births	2.33 deaths per 100 live births	10
1980s	1.3 deaths per 100 live births	1.16 deaths per 100 live births	1.5 deaths per 100 live births	10
1990s	0.9745 deaths per 100 live births	0.8585 deaths per 100 live births	1.12 deaths per 100 live births	10
2000s	0.7981 deaths per 100 live births	0.7451 deaths per 100 live births	0.8447 deaths per 100 live births	10
2010s	0.6835 deaths per 100 live births	0.6494 deaths per 100 live births	0.7306 deaths per 100 live births	10
2020s	0.6473 deaths per 100 live births	0.6465 deaths per 100 live births	0.6483 deaths per 100 live births	5

Countries ranked near United States

143 Romania 0.7311 deaths per 100 live births compare
144 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.6905 deaths per 100 live births compare
145 Chile 0.6753 deaths per 100 live births compare
147 Montserrat 0.6354 deaths per 100 live births compare
148 Slovakia 0.6286 deaths per 100 live births compare
149 Saudi Arabia 0.5958 deaths per 100 live births compare

See the full ranking of 203 places →

More health data for United States

Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,069 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
Number of infants who die before age 1 4,015 deaths (2100)
Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 0 deaths (2026)
Deaths in armed conflicts by region 0 deaths (2026)
Age population, age 25, male, interpolated 2.37 million (2025)
Age population, age 25, female, interpolated 2.22 million (2025)
Age population, age 24, male, interpolated 2.38 million (2025)
Age population, age 24, female, interpolated 2.24 million (2025)
Age population, age 23, male, interpolated 2.37 million (2025)
Age population, age 23, female, interpolated 2.23 million (2025)

All data for United States →

Frequently asked questions

What is child mortality in United States?: Child mortality in United States was 0.6472 deaths per 100 live births in 2024, according to Gapminder (2015); UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest child mortality recorded in United States?: The highest recorded value was 32.9 deaths per 100 live births in 1800.
What is the lowest child mortality recorded in United States?: The lowest recorded value was 0.6465 deaths per 100 live births in 2021.
How does United States rank for child mortality?: United States ranks 146th out of 203 countries with data for 2024.
Is child mortality rising or falling in United States?: Over the last ten years it is down 5.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this United States data come from?: The figures come from Gapminder (2015); UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Child mortality. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 225 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Child mortality
Unit: deaths per 100 live births
Source: Gapminder (2015); UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 203 places, 42,924 data points, 1800–2024
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

The estimated share of newborns who die before reaching the age of five.