Share of deaths from major causes in United States
United States: Share of deaths from major causes was 4.04 in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
4.04
Change on year
up 4.7%
World rank
51st
of 113 countries
All-time high
4.04
in 2022
All-time low
3.25
in 1950
Years of data
73
1950–2022
Share of deaths from major causes in United States, 1950–2022
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2022, share of deaths from major causes in United States stood at 4.04. 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 major causes in United States peaked at 4.04 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 3.25, in 1950.
That places United States 51st 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 major causes in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3.25 | — |
| 1951 | 3.26 | +0.3% |
| 1952 | 3.31 | +1.5% |
| 1953 | 3.31 | +0.3% |
| 1954 | 3.38 | +2.0% |
| 1955 | 3.39 | +0.2% |
| 1956 | 3.39 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | 3.39 | +0.1% |
| 1958 | 3.39 | -0.1% |
| 1959 | 3.41 | +0.7% |
| 1960 | 3.44 | +0.7% |
| 1961 | 3.52 | +2.2% |
| 1962 | 3.56 | +1.2% |
| 1963 | 3.52 | -1.0% |
| 1964 | 3.52 | -0.1% |
| 1965 | 3.52 | +0.2% |
| 1966 | 3.57 | +1.4% |
| 1967 | 3.63 | +1.6% |
| 1968 | 3.82 | +5.3% |
| 1969 | 3.84 | +0.7% |
| 1970 | 3.87 | +0.7% |
| 1971 | 3.85 | -0.6% |
| 1972 | 3.81 | -1.1% |
| 1973 | 3.8 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | 3.78 | -0.6% |
| 1975 | 3.72 | -1.7% |
| 1976 | 3.64 | -2.1% |
| 1977 | 3.62 | -0.6% |
| 1978 | 3.51 | -2.9% |
| 1979 | 3.76 | +7.2% |
| 1980 | 3.78 | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 3.74 | -0.9% |
| 1982 | 3.67 | -1.8% |
| 1983 | 3.59 | -2.2% |
| 1984 | 3.62 | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 3.58 | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 3.53 | -1.5% |
| 1987 | 3.55 | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 3.52 | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 3.54 | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 3.49 | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 3.48 | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 3.49 | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 3.38 | -3.1% |
| 1994 | 3.39 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 3.32 | -2.2% |
| 1996 | 3.34 | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 3.41 | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 3.39 | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 3.46 | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 3.49 | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 3.55 | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 3.54 | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 3.58 | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 3.59 | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 3.56 | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 3.6 | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 3.67 | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 3.68 | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 3.66 | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 3.68 | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 3.73 | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 3.74 | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 3.78 | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 3.84 | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 3.85 | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 3.85 | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 3.82 | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 3.86 | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 3.95 | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 3.65 | -7.4% |
| 2021 | 3.86 | +5.5% |
| 2022 | 4.04 | +4.7% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 4.04 is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.86, 1.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.35 | 3.25 | 3.41 | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.59 | 3.44 | 3.84 | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.74 | 3.51 | 3.87 | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.61 | 3.52 | 3.78 | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.42 | 3.32 | 3.49 | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.59 | 3.49 | 3.68 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.81 | 3.68 | 3.95 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.85 | 3.65 | 4.04 | 3 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 48 Venezuela 4.09 compare
- 49 Puerto Rico 4.06 compare
- 50 Philippines 4.04 compare
- 52 Uzbekistan 4.01 compare
- 53 Denmark 3.99 compare
- 54 Switzerland 3.94 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)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 4,015 (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)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0274 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of deaths from major causes in United States?
- Share of deaths from major causes in United States was 4.04 in 2022, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of deaths from major causes recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 4.04 in 2022.
- What is the lowest share of deaths from major causes recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.25 in 1950.
- How does United States rank for share of deaths from major causes?
- United States ranks 51st out of 113 countries with data for 2022.
- Is share of deaths from major causes 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 Our World in Data, published as part of Share of deaths from major causes. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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