Number of deaths in United States
United States: Number of deaths was 2.98 million deaths in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
2.98 million deaths
Change on year
down 6.6%
World rank
3rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
3.49 million deaths
in 2021
All-time low
1.48 million deaths
in 1954
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Number of deaths in United States, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of deaths in United States is 2.98 million deaths, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.6% on the previous year and up 14.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of deaths in United States peaked at 3.49 million deaths in 2021 and was at its lowest, 1.48 million deaths, in 1954.
United States ranks 3rd of 236 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Number of deaths in United States, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.48 million deaths | — |
| 1951 | 1.50 million deaths | +1.6% |
| 1952 | 1.51 million deaths | +0.5% |
| 1953 | 1.52 million deaths | +0.7% |
| 1954 | 1.48 million deaths | -2.9% |
| 1955 | 1.51 million deaths | +2.4% |
| 1956 | 1.54 million deaths | +1.9% |
| 1957 | 1.60 million deaths | +3.8% |
| 1958 | 1.61 million deaths | +0.4% |
| 1959 | 1.61 million deaths | +0.1% |
| 1960 | 1.66 million deaths | +3.5% |
| 1961 | 1.66 million deaths | -0.3% |
| 1962 | 1.72 million deaths | +3.9% |
| 1963 | 1.79 million deaths | +3.9% |
| 1964 | 1.79 million deaths | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 1.83 million deaths | +2.2% |
| 1966 | 1.87 million deaths | +2.5% |
| 1967 | 1.87 million deaths | -0.1% |
| 1968 | 1.96 million deaths | +4.7% |
| 1969 | 1.96 million deaths | -0.1% |
| 1970 | 1.96 million deaths | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 1.97 million deaths | +0.5% |
| 1972 | 2.00 million deaths | +1.6% |
| 1973 | 2.01 million deaths | +0.3% |
| 1974 | 1.97 million deaths | -2.0% |
| 1975 | 1.92 million deaths | -2.3% |
| 1976 | 1.94 million deaths | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 1.92 million deaths | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 1.95 million deaths | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 1.93 million deaths | -0.9% |
| 1980 | 2.00 million deaths | +4.0% |
| 1981 | 1.99 million deaths | -0.5% |
| 1982 | 1.99 million deaths | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 2.04 million deaths | +2.3% |
| 1984 | 2.06 million deaths | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 2.11 million deaths | +2.5% |
| 1986 | 2.13 million deaths | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 2.15 million deaths | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 2.20 million deaths | +2.2% |
| 1989 | 2.18 million deaths | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 2.18 million deaths | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 2.20 million deaths | +1.0% |
| 1992 | 2.20 million deaths | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 2.30 million deaths | +4.2% |
| 1994 | 2.31 million deaths | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 2.34 million deaths | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 2.34 million deaths | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 2.34 million deaths | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 2.36 million deaths | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 2.41 million deaths | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 2.42 million deaths | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 2.43 million deaths | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 2.46 million deaths | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 2.47 million deaths | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 2.42 million deaths | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 2.47 million deaths | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 2.45 million deaths | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 2.45 million deaths | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 2.50 million deaths | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 2.47 million deaths | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 2.50 million deaths | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 2.55 million deaths | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 2.57 million deaths | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 2.61 million deaths | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 2.63 million deaths | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 2.71 million deaths | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 2.73 million deaths | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 2.80 million deaths | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 2.82 million deaths | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 2.84 million deaths | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 3.38 million deaths | +19.1% |
| 2021 | 3.49 million deaths | +3.2% |
| 2022 | 3.19 million deaths | -8.7% |
| 2023 | 2.98 million deaths | -6.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.54 million deaths | 1.48 million deaths | 1.61 million deaths | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.81 million deaths | 1.66 million deaths | 1.96 million deaths | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.96 million deaths | 1.92 million deaths | 2.01 million deaths | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.09 million deaths | 1.99 million deaths | 2.20 million deaths | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.30 million deaths | 2.18 million deaths | 2.41 million deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.46 million deaths | 2.42 million deaths | 2.50 million deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.68 million deaths | 2.50 million deaths | 2.84 million deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.26 million deaths | 2.98 million deaths | 3.49 million deaths | 4 |
Countries ranked near United States
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)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate -0.7786 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.0833 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate -0.7908 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.0877 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of deaths in United States?
- Number of deaths in United States was 2.98 million deaths in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of deaths recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 3.49 million deaths in 2021.
- What is the lowest number of deaths recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.48 million deaths in 1954.
- How does United States rank for number of deaths?
- United States ranks 3rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of deaths rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Number of deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of deaths in a calendar year.