Death rate in United States
United States: Death rate was 8.66 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
8.66 deaths per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 7.2%
World rank
83rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
10.27 deaths per 1,000 people
in 2021
All-time low
8.02 deaths per 1,000 people
in 2009
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Death rate in United States, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 1,000 people.
Analysis
United States recorded 8.66 deaths per 1,000 people for death rate in 2023.
The figure is down 7.2% on the previous year and up 6.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, death rate in United States peaked at 10.27 deaths per 1,000 people in 2021 and was at its lowest, 8.02 deaths per 1,000 people, in 2009.
United States ranks 83rd of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Death rate in United States, year by year
| Year | deaths per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 9.6 deaths per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 9.6 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.1% |
| 1952 | 9.51 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1953 | 9.44 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1954 | 9.03 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.3% |
| 1955 | 9.1 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 1956 | 9.13 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 1957 | 9.33 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.2% |
| 1958 | 9.22 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1959 | 9.07 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1960 | 9.23 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.7% |
| 1961 | 9.04 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1962 | 9.24 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.1% |
| 1963 | 9.44 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.2% |
| 1964 | 9.28 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1965 | 9.34 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.7% |
| 1966 | 9.45 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.2% |
| 1967 | 9.33 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1968 | 9.66 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.5% |
| 1969 | 9.54 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1970 | 9.44 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1971 | 9.36 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1972 | 9.4 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.4% |
| 1973 | 9.34 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1974 | 9.06 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 1975 | 8.77 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1976 | 8.75 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1977 | 8.61 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1978 | 8.63 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 8.47 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1980 | 8.72 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 8.59 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 8.49 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1983 | 8.61 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.3% |
| 1984 | 8.62 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 8.74 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 8.74 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 8.74 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 8.85 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 8.7 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1990 | 8.6 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 8.57 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 8.49 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 8.74 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 8.68 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 8.71 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 8.63 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 8.55 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 8.54 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 8.65 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 8.61 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 8.56 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 8.57 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 8.51 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 8.27 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 2005 | 8.36 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 8.21 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 8.12 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 8.2 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 8.02 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 2010 | 8.04 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 8.13 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 8.1 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 8.16 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 8.14 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 8.3 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 8.3 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 8.42 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 8.41 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 8.41 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 9.97 deaths per 1,000 people | +18.5% |
| 2021 | 10.27 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 9.33 deaths per 1,000 people | -9.1% |
| 2023 | 8.66 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.2% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 8.66 deaths per 1,000 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 8.37 deaths per 1,000 people, 1.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 9.3 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.03 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.6 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 9.35 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.04 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.66 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 8.98 deaths per 1,000 people | 8.47 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.44 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.68 deaths per 1,000 people | 8.49 deaths per 1,000 people | 8.85 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.62 deaths per 1,000 people | 8.49 deaths per 1,000 people | 8.74 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.34 deaths per 1,000 people | 8.02 deaths per 1,000 people | 8.61 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.24 deaths per 1,000 people | 8.04 deaths per 1,000 people | 8.42 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.56 deaths per 1,000 people | 8.66 deaths per 1,000 people | 10.27 deaths per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 80 Mauritius 8.73 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 81 Togo 8.73 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 82 Bahamas 8.71 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 84 Bonaire Sint Eustatius and Saba 8.63 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 85 Mali 8.63 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 86 Saint Lucia 8.61 deaths per 1,000 people compare
More health data for United States
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.67 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1867 % change on previous year (2090)
- 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)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2023)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.056 % 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 0.0261 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.1919 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is death rate in United States?
- Death rate in United States was 8.66 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest death rate recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 10.27 deaths per 1,000 people in 2021.
- What is the lowest death rate recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.02 deaths per 1,000 people in 2009.
- How does United States rank for death rate?
- United States ranks 83rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is death rate rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Death rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of deaths in a year per 1,000 people in the population.