CDC NCHS · public-domain mortality data
America's leading causes of death, state by state
Every state, every leading cause, every year from 1999 to 2017 — the complete CDC NCHS mortality grid, in plain numbers and fair age-adjusted rates.
The national picture
Heart disease and cancer alone account for 60% of America's 2,081,531 annual deaths — yet which cause leads, and how lethal it is, shifts sharply from one state to the next.
- 2,081,531
- deaths recorded, 2017
- 60%
- from heart disease & cancer
- 10
- leading-cause categories
- 19 yrs
- 1999–2017, 50 states + DC
Age-adjusted rates let you compare states fairly, correcting for older or younger populations.
Top Highlights
Top 5 Leading Causes of Death (U.S.)
CDC NCHS Underlying Cause of Death, 2017
Leading Causes of Death (2017)
Browse by State
About This Data
PlainHealth provides free, open access to mortality statistics from the CDC's WONDER database. All data comes from the Underlying Cause of Death dataset, which covers deaths registered in all 50 US states and the District of Columbia.
Causes of death are classified using the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10). Age-adjusted rates use the year 2000 US standard population for comparability across states with different age distributions.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics Underlying Cause of Death, accessed via CDC WONDER
What can you find in US mortality data?
Frequently Asked Questions
What data does PlainHealth provide?
PlainHealth provides CDC mortality statistics including leading causes of death for all 50 states and DC, covering the 10 leading cause categories from 1999-2017.
What causes of death are tracked?
The 10 categories include heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke, diabetes, influenza/pneumonia, kidney disease, suicide, and Alzheimer disease.
Where does the data come from?
All data comes from the CDC National Center for Health Statistics, which compiles death-certificate data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Health Data Guides
Understand how to read and use CDC mortality data.
Understanding Mortality Data
What the numbers mean and how age-adjusted death rates are calculated.
Leading Causes of Death
The top 10 causes and how rankings shifted from 1999 to 2017.
Reading State Statistics
Age-adjusted rates, trends, regional patterns, and fair comparisons.
How Mortality Rates Have Changed
A 19-year analysis of which causes improved and which worsened dramatically.
Regional Health Disparities
Why mortality varies dramatically across regions — stroke belt, Mountain West, and more.
PlainHealth displays CDC National Center for Health Statistics mortality data for public awareness and does not constitute medical or epidemiological advice. Consult a healthcare professional or your local health department for guidance on specific health concerns.
Research
Original analysis from our editorial team, every statistic derived from our own database. See all research.
U.S. States Ranked by Cardiovascular Mortality (CDC NCHS)
All 50 states + DC ranked by age-adjusted cardiovascular death rate, with regional clustering, year-over-year deltas, and 27-year trend lines from the CDC NCHS dataset.
ResearchU.S. States Ranked by Cancer Mortality — Geographic Patterns
State-by-state cancer death rates from the CDC NCHS Underlying Cause of Death dataset, including 27-year trends and within-state subcategory variation.
ResearchA Complete 19-Year Grid: 9,690 State-Cause-Year Mortality Records (1999-2017)
PlainHealth's mortality table is a complete grid: 51 jurisdictions, 10 leading causes, and 19 years from CDC NCHS, with deaths and age-adjusted rates filled in every one of the 9,690 cells.