A new report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), released in September 2025, reveals that the US death rate has returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2024. After reaching a peak of approximately 880 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, driven largely by the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate experienced a significant 18% decline, settling at 722 deaths per 100,000 in 2024. This translates to nearly 3.1 million deaths overall.
While this represents a substantial improvement, the report also highlights persistent challenges. Heart disease and cancer remain the leading causes of death, accounting for over 40% of fatalities. Drug overdoses and other unintentional injuries held their position as the third leading cause of death for the third consecutive year, despite a notable overall decrease. COVID-19, a leading cause of death in previous years, dropped to the tenth position in 2024, though tens of thousands still succumbed to the virus.
The report also sheds light on other concerning trends. Suicide, after reaching a record high in 2022, showed only a slight decrease in 2024, with nearly 49,000 lives lost. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline saw millions of contacts, but a crucial service for LGBTQ+ youth was discontinued, raising concerns about potential future increases.
While death rates generally decreased across most age groups in 2024, infant mortality remains a serious issue. The rate, which had been steadily decreasing for decades before spiking in 2022, failed to recover in 2024, with nearly 20,000 infant deaths. This prompted a public health emergency declaration in Mississippi in August due to escalating rates within the state.
Significant racial and ethnic disparities persist. Although death rates decreased for all groups in 2024, Black individuals experienced the highest rates, with 924 deaths per 100,000—28% above the overall average. Gender disparities also continue, with men experiencing significantly higher death rates than women. The CDC's provisional data, based on 99.9% of death records received by June 1, 2025, provides a comprehensive but still preliminary view of mortality trends in 2024. Final figures may vary slightly.
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Originally published at: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/10/health/us-mortality-death-rate-2024-cdc
