States Covered
51
Full US + DC
2026 data Public-data reference. official source
Unintentional injuries — Death Rates by State
Open-data reference.
Unintentional injuries accounted for 169,936 deaths across 51 US states in 2017. Age-adjusted rates range from 33.2 per 100,000 in California to 100.3 in West Virginia — a 67.1-point spread that reflects regional differences in healthcare access, lifestyle factors, and public health infrastructure. ICD-10 code: V01-X59. Source: CDC WONDER, Underlying Cause of Death (CDC NCHS / NVSS).
Data Year
2017
CDC NCHS
ICD-10 Code
V01-X59
Standard classification
Top 5 States by Unintentional injuries Rate
National avg vs West Virginia peak 53.9%
Average 54.0/100K against the highest-rate state's 100.3/100K
Key Statistics
Total Deaths (2017)
169,936
Avg Rate /100K
54.0
Median: 53.8
Highest Rate
West Virginia
100.3/100K
Lowest Rate
California
33.2/100K
States with Highest Unintentional injuries Rates
The five states with the highest age-adjusted death rates for unintentional injuries in 2017.
1. West Virginia 100.3/100K
(+86% vs avg)
2. Ohio 75.1/100K
(+39% vs avg)
3. Kentucky 72.9/100K
(+35% vs avg)
4. Pennsylvania 70.2/100K
(+30% vs avg)
5. New Mexico 68.3/100K
(+26% vs avg)
States with Lowest Unintentional injuries Rates
The five states with the lowest age-adjusted death rates for unintentional injuries in 2017.
1. California 33.2/100K
(-39% vs avg)
2. New York 35.5/100K
(-34% vs avg)
3. Hawaii 35.7/100K
(-34% vs avg)
4. Maryland 36.9/100K
(-32% vs avg)
5. Nebraska 38.5/100K
(-29% vs avg)
All State Rankings — Unintentional injuries (2017)
| # | State | Deaths | Crude Rate | Age-Adjusted | vs Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | 1,892 | N/A | 100.3 | +86% |
| 2 | Ohio | 8,971 | N/A | 75.1 | +39% |
| 3 | Kentucky | 3,264 | N/A | 72.9 | +35% |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | 9,527 | N/A | 70.2 | +30% |
| 5 | New Mexico | 1,460 | N/A | 68.3 | +26% |
| 6 | Maine | 990 | N/A | 68.0 | +26% |
| 7 | Alaska | 436 | N/A | 63.7 | +18% |
| 8 | Tennessee | 4,435 | N/A | 63.0 | +17% |
| 9 | New Hampshire | 907 | N/A | 62.9 | +16% |
| 10 | Oklahoma | 2,563 | N/A | 62.5 | +16% |
| 11 | Delaware | 608 | N/A | 61.9 | +15% |
| 12 | District of Columbia | 427 | N/A | 61.0 | +13% |
| 13 | South Carolina | 3,147 | N/A | 60.2 | +11% |
| 14 | Rhode Island | 718 | N/A | 60.0 | +11% |
| 15 | Louisiana | 2,780 | N/A | 58.9 | +9% |
| 16 | Missouri | 3,776 | N/A | 58.8 | +9% |
| 17 | Indiana | 3,978 | N/A | 58.7 | +9% |
| 18 | Wisconsin | 3,746 | N/A | 58.3 | +8% |
| 19 | Wyoming | 348 | N/A | 56.9 | +5% |
| 20 | Vermont | 394 | N/A | 56.9 | +5% |
| 21 | North Carolina | 5,985 | N/A | 56.3 | +4% |
| 22 | Mississippi | 1,738 | N/A | 56.3 | +4% |
| 23 | Arizona | 4,184 | N/A | 56.2 | +4% |
| 24 | South Dakota | 537 | N/A | 56.1 | +4% |
| 25 | Florida | 13,059 | N/A | 56.1 | +4% |
| 26 | Alabama | 2,703 | N/A | 53.8 | -0% |
| 27 | Colorado | 3,037 | N/A | 53.6 | -1% |
| 28 | Connecticut | 2,078 | N/A | 53.2 | -2% |
| 29 | Michigan | 5,623 | N/A | 53.0 | -2% |
| 30 | Arkansas | 1,625 | N/A | 51.8 | -4% |
| 31 | Massachusetts | 3,821 | N/A | 51.5 | -5% |
| 32 | Montana | 579 | N/A | 50.2 | -7% |
| 33 | Idaho | 876 | N/A | 49.8 | -8% |
| 34 | Kansas | 1,567 | N/A | 49.4 | -9% |
| 35 | Nevada | 1,496 | N/A | 47.8 | -12% |
| 36 | New Jersey | 4,482 | N/A | 47.3 | -12% |
| 37 | Georgia | 4,712 | N/A | 45.2 | -16% |
| 38 | Oregon | 2,076 | N/A | 44.8 | -17% |
| 39 | Minnesota | 2,788 | N/A | 44.6 | -17% |
| 40 | Illinois | 6,019 | N/A | 44.4 | -18% |
| 41 | Utah | 1,238 | N/A | 44.2 | -18% |
| 42 | Washington | 3,455 | N/A | 44.0 | -19% |
| 43 | Virginia | 3,922 | N/A | 44.0 | -19% |
| 44 | Iowa | 1,536 | N/A | 42.8 | -21% |
| 45 | North Dakota | 339 | N/A | 41.3 | -24% |
| 46 | Texas | 10,763 | N/A | 38.8 | -28% |
| 47 | Nebraska | 811 | N/A | 38.5 | -29% |
| 48 | Maryland | 2,408 | N/A | 36.9 | -32% |
| 49 | Hawaii | 585 | N/A | 35.7 | -34% |
| 50 | New York | 7,687 | N/A | 35.5 | -34% |
| 51 | California | 13,840 | N/A | 33.2 | -39% |
Understanding Unintentional injuries Mortality Data
Unintentional injuries mortality data from the CDC WONDER database tracks deaths classified under ICD-10 code V01-X59 across all US states and territories. In 2017, this cause accounted for 169,936 deaths nationally.
The 67.1-point spread between the highest-rate state (West Virginia, 100.3/100K) and the lowest (California, 33.2/100K) reflects significant geographic variation. Age-adjusted rates use the year 2000 US standard population, enabling fair comparison between states with different demographic profiles. States above the national average of 54.0 per 100,000 may face higher risk factors related to healthcare access, environmental conditions, or socioeconomic disparities.
What the 2017 Unintentional injuries Record Shows
In 2017, CDC WONDER classified 169,936 deaths under ICD-10 code V01-X59 (Unintentional injuries) across 51 US states and territories, with age-adjusted rates ranging from 33.2 per 100,000 in California to 100.3 per 100,000 in West Virginia — a 67.1-point spread. The national average settled at 54.0 per 100,000 with a median of 53.8, and the 3.0x gap between extremes reflects how unintentional injuries mortality concentrates geographically rather than distributing evenly across the population.
The top-rate cluster — led by West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky — typically shares a recognizable pattern: higher prevalence of upstream risk factors, limited preventive-care infrastructure in rural areas, and uneven specialist access. The bottom-rate cluster — California, New York, Hawaii — tends to combine broader insurance coverage, stronger primary-care networks, and earlier detection pathways. Because rates are age-adjusted to the year 2000 US standard population, the gap is not an artifact of older populations in higher-rate states — it reflects real differences in underlying exposure, healthcare delivery, and socioeconomic conditions that persist across the 19-year CDC WONDER record (1999–2017).
For researchers, public-health planners, and individual readers, the practical read of the 2017 Unintentional injuries record is comparative: states above the 54.0 national average face elevated mortality burden relative to the country overall, while those below it show better outcomes on this specific cause — though a single-cause ranking does not capture a state's total health picture. These figures describe population-level mortality rates from a specific ICD-10 classification and are not a substitute for medical advice; individual risk depends on personal health history, behaviors, and access to care. Consult a qualified healthcare professional about diagnosis, treatment, or prevention decisions. Data source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, CDC WONDER Underlying Cause of Death (ICD-10 code V01-X59).
Related Causes & Comparisons
Related causes of death frequently reviewed alongside unintentional injuries. Use the side-by-side comparison to see how rates, trends, and state rankings differ between causes.
Heart disease
647,457 deaths nationally · avg rate 166.0/100K
Cancer
599,108 deaths nationally · avg rate 155.0/100K
CLRD
160,201 deaths nationally · avg rate 43.8/100K
Stroke
146,383 deaths nationally · avg rate 37.4/100K
Alzheimer's disease
121,404 deaths nationally · avg rate 32.1/100K
Compare Unintentional injuries vs Heart disease →
All figures sourced from CDC NCHS via CDC WONDER Underlying Cause of Death (ICD-10). See the methodology page for file-by-file provenance.
Explore unintentional injuries further
Look up unintentional injuries by state, compare states, or see how it fits the national picture.
Rank every state
Use the lookup tool to rank all 50 states and DC on unintentional injuries rates.
Open lookup →Compare states
Put up to four states side by side on unintentional injuries deaths and rates.
Compare states →All leading causes
Browse all 10 CDC NCHS leading causes of death and how they rank nationally.
All causes →National trends
See how unintentional injuries and the other leading causes changed, 1999-2017.
See trends →Related Guides
Leading Causes of Death in America
How the 10 leading causes rank, and what drives differences between states
Understanding Mortality Data
What CDC mortality statistics measure and how to interpret age-adjusted death rates
Regional Health Disparities
Why mortality rates vary dramatically by region and the drivers behind these gaps
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people die from unintentional injuries each year in the US? ▼
In 2017, 169,936 deaths were attributed to unintentional injuries across all 51 US states and territories, with an average age-adjusted rate of 54.0 per 100,000 population.
Which state has the highest unintentional injuries death rate? ▼
West Virginia has the highest age-adjusted death rate for unintentional injuries at 100.3 per 100,000 population (2017), with 1,892 total deaths.
Which state has the lowest unintentional injuries death rate? ▼
California has the lowest age-adjusted death rate for unintentional injuries at 33.2 per 100,000 population (2017), with 13,840 total deaths.
What is the age-adjusted death rate and why does it matter? ▼
The age-adjusted death rate accounts for differences in age distribution between states, making it possible to compare unintentional injuries mortality fairly. Without age adjustment, states with older populations would appear to have higher death rates simply due to demographics rather than actual health differences.
How wide is the gap between the highest and lowest unintentional injuries death rates? ▼
The gap between the highest rate (West Virginia, 100.3/100K) and lowest rate (California, 33.2/100K) is 67.1 per 100,000 — a 3.0x difference. This variation reflects differences in access to care, lifestyle factors, environmental conditions, and public health investment.
What years of unintentional injuries data are available? ▼
Mortality data for Unintentional injuries is available from 1999 to 2017, covering 19 years of CDC WONDER data across all US states and territories.
Rates are per 100,000 population. Age-adjusted rates use the year 2000 US standard population. ICD-10 code: V01-X59. Data covers 1999–2017. Source: CDC WONDER, Underlying Cause of Death (CDC NCHS / NVSS).
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the CDC WONDER database. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.