State mortality · CDC NCHS 2017
Arizona - Mortality Statistics
42,928 deaths in 2017 across 10 tracked causes, at a state average age-adjusted rate of 50.1 per 100,000.
Data updated 2026-05-19
- 42,928
- Deaths, 2017
- Heart disease
- Leading cause
- −10%
- vs national avg
- 50.1
- Avg age-adj /100K
The verdict
Arizona's leading killer is heart disease at 141.9 per 100K (age-adjusted); the state's average age-adjusted rate across tracked causes runs 10% below the national figure.
- 141.9
- Heart disease /100K, leading
- −10%
- vs national avg rate
- -22.9%
- rate, 1999–2017
- 42,928
- total deaths, 2017
Source: CDC WONDER, Underlying Cause of Death (CDC NCHS / NVSS), 2017. Age-adjusted rates allow fair comparison across states.
Where Arizona sits among all 51 states
Average age-adjusted death rate across the leading causes, 2017
50.1 Lower than 75% lower than 75% of 51 states
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source CDC WONDER, Underlying Cause of Death (CDC NCHS / NVSS) · 2017
Arizona recorded 42,928 deaths in 2017 across 10 tracked causes (CDC WONDER · methodology). Total annual deaths rose from 31,796 in 1999 to 42,928 in 2017 (35.0%) - a major shift over 18 years.
Key Statistics
Top 5 Causes of Death
The five leading causes account for 35,450 deaths (82.6% of all deaths) in Arizona.
All Causes of Death in Arizona (2017)
| # | Cause of death | Deaths | % of total | Age-adj /100K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heart disease | 12,398 | 28.9% | 141.9 |
| 2 | Cancer | 12,008 | 28.0% | 135.8 |
| 3 | Unintentional injuries | 4,184 | 9.7% | 56.2 |
| 4 | CLRD | 3,802 | 8.9% | 42.7 |
| 5 | Alzheimer's disease | 3,058 | 7.1% | 35.1 |
| 6 | Stroke | 2,681 | 6.2% | 30.8 |
| 7 | Diabetes | 2,054 | 4.8% | 23.7 |
| 8 | Suicide | 1,327 | 3.1% | 18.2 |
| 9 | Influenza and pneumonia | 876 | 2.0% | 10.1 |
| 10 | Kidney disease | 540 | 1.3% | 6.2 |
Mortality Trends Over Time
Show the full 19-year data table (deaths, rate, year-over-year change)
| Year | Total Deaths | Avg Age-Adj Rate | Deaths YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 31,796 | 65.0 | - |
| 2000 | 31,816 | 63.6 | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 31,895 | 61.8 | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 33,389 | 63.3 | +4.7% |
| 2003 | 33,744 | 62.1 | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 33,285 | 59.4 | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 35,010 | 60.1 | +5.2% |
| 2006 | 34,885 | 57.7 | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 34,149 | 54.8 | -2.1% |
| 2008 | 34,323 | 53.4 | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 34,218 | 51.8 | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 34,828 | 51.5 | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 36,095 | 51.2 | +3.6% |
| 2012 | 36,337 | 49.9 | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 37,440 | 49.7 | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 37,982 | 48.5 | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 40,509 | 49.8 | +6.7% |
| 2016 | 41,949 | 49.7 | +3.6% |
| 2017 | 42,928 | 50.1 | +2.3% |
National Comparison
How Arizona compares to the national average in 2017.
For Heart disease, Arizona ranks #42 out of 51 states (age-adjusted rate: 141.9 per 100,000). A higher rank indicates a higher mortality rate.
Nearby States & Comparisons
Compare mortality data with states bordering Arizona (2017).
| State | Deaths (Top Cause) | Leading Cause | Age-Adj Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona (this state) | 12,398 | Heart disease | 141.9 |
| California | 62,797 | Heart disease | 142.9 |
| Colorado | 7,829 | Cancer | 131.0 |
| Nevada | 6,417 | Heart disease | 199.3 |
| New Mexico | 3,896 | Heart disease | 151.4 |
| Utah | 3,749 | Heart disease | 150.2 |
Dig deeper into Arizona's mortality data
What the 2017 Arizona Mortality Record Shows
In 2017, CDC WONDER tallied 42,928 deaths in Arizona across 10 tracked cause-of-death categories. Heart disease led the record with 12,398 deaths at an age-adjusted rate of 141.9 per 100,000, placing Arizona at #42 of 51 states for this cause, where a higher rank corresponds to a higher rate. The top five causes accounted for 35,450 deaths (82.6% of the state total).
Arizona's average age-adjusted rate across all tracked causes was 50.1 per 100,000 - 10% below the national average of 55.5. A rate below the national average is a positive aggregate sign, though it summarizes every tracked cause into one number, so it's worth scanning the individual causes for outliers. Over the 1999–2017 window, total deaths increased by 35%, and the state-wide average age-adjusted rate declined by 22.9%.
How to read this record & data notes
For planners, clinicians, and individual readers, the practical read of the 2017 Arizona record is layered: the state-wide average frames overall burden, the top-causes ranking identifies where the mortality load concentrates, and the multi-year trend indicates whether conditions are improving or worsening. Because age-adjusted rates use the year 2000 US standard population, differences between states and across years are not driven by demographic aging alone, they reflect real variation in exposure, prevention, and care delivery. These figures describe population-level mortality statistics 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, covering 1999–2017.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the leading cause of death in Arizona? ▼
How many people died in Arizona in 2017? ▼
What are the top 3 causes of death in Arizona? ▼
How does Arizona's mortality rate compare to the national average? ▼
Has the death rate in Arizona increased or decreased over time? ▼
What years of mortality data are available for Arizona? ▼
Where does Arizona rank nationally for Heart disease? ▼
What the Arizona record means
Arizona's average age-adjusted rate runs 10% below the national figure, read the leading cause, the spread, and the trend together, not any single number.
- Heart disease is the leading cause at 141.9/100K, see how every state compares. Heart disease by state
- Put Arizona side by side with another state before drawing conclusions. Compare states
- The state-wide rate fell 22.9% from 1999 to 2017 - trends matter more than a single year. Mortality trends
Rates are age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population; the state average summarizes the leading causes, not all-cause mortality. Population statistics, not personal risk.
Data source & methodology
Rates are per 100,000 population. Age-adjusted rates use the year 2000 US standard population. Data covers 1999–2017. Source: CDC WONDER, Underlying Cause of Death (CDC NCHS / NVSS).
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
According to the CDC National Center for Health Statistics, PlainHealthData's mortality figures are rendered directly from 9,690 official state-year-cause records (NCHS Leading Causes of Death, 1999-2017, finalized data verified June 2026) -- no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-19.