Share of deaths from each major cause in United States
United States: Share of deaths from each major cause was 4.0% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
4.0%
Change on year
up 4.7%
World rank
47th
of 113 countries
All-time high
4.0%
in 2022
All-time low
3.2%
in 1950
Years of data
73
1950–2022
Share of deaths from each major cause in United States, 1950–2022
Source: WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2022, share of deaths from each major cause in United States stood at 4.0%. That is the highest value across all 73 years on record.
That represents a change of up 4.7% on the previous year and up 8.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of deaths from each major cause in United States peaked at 4.0% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 3.2%, in 1950.
That places United States 47th out of 113 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 73 years of available data.
Share of deaths from each major cause in United States, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3.2% | — |
| 1951 | 3.3% | +0.3% |
| 1952 | 3.3% | +1.5% |
| 1953 | 3.3% | +0.3% |
| 1954 | 3.4% | +2.0% |
| 1955 | 3.4% | +0.2% |
| 1956 | 3.4% | -0.0% |
| 1957 | 3.4% | +0.1% |
| 1958 | 3.4% | -0.1% |
| 1959 | 3.4% | +0.7% |
| 1960 | 3.4% | +0.7% |
| 1961 | 3.5% | +2.2% |
| 1962 | 3.6% | +1.2% |
| 1963 | 3.5% | -1.0% |
| 1964 | 3.5% | -0.1% |
| 1965 | 3.5% | +0.2% |
| 1966 | 3.6% | +1.4% |
| 1967 | 3.6% | +1.6% |
| 1968 | 3.8% | +5.3% |
| 1969 | 3.8% | +0.7% |
| 1970 | 3.9% | +0.7% |
| 1971 | 3.8% | -0.6% |
| 1972 | 3.8% | -1.1% |
| 1973 | 3.8% | -0.0% |
| 1974 | 3.8% | -0.6% |
| 1975 | 3.7% | -1.7% |
| 1976 | 3.6% | -2.1% |
| 1977 | 3.6% | -0.6% |
| 1978 | 3.5% | -2.9% |
| 1979 | 3.8% | +7.2% |
| 1980 | 3.8% | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 3.7% | -0.9% |
| 1982 | 3.7% | -1.8% |
| 1983 | 3.6% | -2.2% |
| 1984 | 3.6% | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 3.6% | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 3.5% | -1.5% |
| 1987 | 3.5% | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 3.5% | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 3.5% | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 3.5% | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 3.5% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 3.5% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 3.4% | -3.1% |
| 1994 | 3.4% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 3.3% | -2.2% |
| 1996 | 3.3% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 3.4% | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 3.4% | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 3.5% | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 3.5% | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 3.5% | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 3.5% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 3.6% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 3.6% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 3.6% | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 3.6% | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 3.7% | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 3.7% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 3.7% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 3.7% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 3.7% | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 3.7% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 3.8% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 3.8% | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 3.8% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 3.9% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 3.8% | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 3.9% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 3.9% | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 3.7% | -7.4% |
| 2021 | 3.9% | +5.5% |
| 2022 | 4.0% | +4.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.3% | 3.2% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.6% | 3.4% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.7% | 3.5% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.6% | 3.5% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.4% | 3.3% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.6% | 3.5% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.8% | 3.7% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.8% | 3.7% | 4.0% | 3 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 44 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 4.1% compare
- 45 Puerto Rico 4.1% compare
- 46 Philippines 4.0% compare
- 48 France 4.0% compare
- 49 Uzbekistan 4.0% compare
- 50 Denmark 4.0% 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)
- 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 share of deaths from each major cause in United States?
- Share of deaths from each major cause in United States was 4.0% in 2022, according to WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of deaths from each major cause recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 4.0% in 2022.
- What is the lowest share of deaths from each major cause recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.2% in 1950.
- How does United States rank for share of deaths from each major cause?
- United States ranks 47th out of 113 countries with data for 2022.
- Is share of deaths from each major cause rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of deaths from each major cause. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of total reported deaths in both sexes in those aged all ages that are from digestive diseases.