State mortality · CDC NCHS 2017
Arkansas - Mortality Statistics
25,233 deaths in 2017 across 10 tracked causes, at a state average age-adjusted rate of 69.2 per 100,000.
Data updated 2026-05-19
- 25,233
- Deaths, 2017
- Heart disease
- Leading cause
- +25%
- vs national avg
- 69.2
- Avg age-adj /100K
The verdict
Arkansas's leading killer is heart disease at 223.8 per 100K (age-adjusted); the state's average age-adjusted rate across tracked causes runs 25% above the national figure.
- 223.8
- Heart disease /100K, leading
- +25%
- vs national avg rate
- -9.8%
- rate, 1999–2017
- 25,233
- total deaths, 2017
Source: CDC WONDER, Underlying Cause of Death (CDC NCHS / NVSS), 2017. Age-adjusted rates allow fair comparison across states.
Where Arkansas sits among all 51 states
Average age-adjusted death rate across the leading causes, 2017
69.2 Lower than 6% lower than 6% 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
Arkansas recorded 25,233 deaths in 2017 across 10 tracked causes (CDC WONDER · methodology). Total annual deaths rose from 22,012 in 1999 to 25,233 in 2017 (14.6%) - a modest trend over 18 years.
Key Statistics
Top 5 Causes of Death
The five leading causes account for 20,541 deaths (81.4% of all deaths) in Arkansas.
All Causes of Death in Arkansas (2017)
| # | Cause of death | Deaths | % of total | Age-adj /100K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heart disease | 8,270 | 32.8% | 223.8 |
| 2 | Cancer | 6,517 | 25.8% | 173.6 |
| 3 | CLRD | 2,517 | 10.0% | 66.7 |
| 4 | Unintentional injuries | 1,625 | 6.4% | 51.8 |
| 5 | Stroke | 1,612 | 6.4% | 43.8 |
| 6 | Alzheimer's disease | 1,436 | 5.7% | 39.4 |
| 7 | Diabetes | 1,180 | 4.7% | 32.4 |
| 8 | Kidney disease | 725 | 2.9% | 19.7 |
| 9 | Influenza and pneumonia | 720 | 2.9% | 19.8 |
| 10 | Suicide | 631 | 2.5% | 20.8 |
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 | 22,012 | 76.7 | - |
| 2000 | 22,086 | 76.3 | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 22,102 | 75.9 | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 22,694 | 77.4 | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 22,073 | 74.7 | -2.7% |
| 2004 | 21,762 | 73.0 | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 22,091 | 73.2 | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 21,791 | 70.7 | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 21,986 | 70.4 | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 22,853 | 72.0 | +3.9% |
| 2009 | 22,388 | 69.7 | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 22,360 | 68.8 | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 22,738 | 68.3 | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 22,699 | 67.3 | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 22,990 | 67.1 | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 23,178 | 66.8 | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 24,453 | 69.3 | +5.5% |
| 2016 | 24,413 | 68.1 | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 25,233 | 69.2 | +3.4% |
National Comparison
How Arkansas compares to the national average in 2017.
Among 51 states tracked for Heart disease, Arkansas sits at #3, with an age-adjusted rate of 223.8 per 100,000 -- a higher position on this list means a higher rate.
Nearby States & Comparisons
Compare mortality data with states bordering Arkansas (2017).
| State | Deaths (Top Cause) | Leading Cause | Age-Adj Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas (this state) | 8,270 | Heart disease | 223.8 |
| Louisiana | 11,260 | Heart disease | 214.4 |
| Mississippi | 7,944 | Heart disease | 231.6 |
| Missouri | 14,820 | Heart disease | 191.1 |
| Oklahoma | 10,772 | Heart disease | 237.2 |
| Tennessee | 16,019 | Heart disease | 202.2 |
| Texas | 45,346 | Heart disease | 169.2 |
Dig deeper into Arkansas's mortality data
What the 2017 Arkansas Mortality Record Shows
25,233 deaths were recorded in Arkansas for 2017 across 10 CDC WONDER categories. Leading the record is Heart disease, with 8,270 deaths at 223.8 per 100,000 (age-adjusted) -- nationally Arkansas sits at #3 of 51 states for this cause, where a higher rank corresponds to a higher rate. The top five causes together represent 81.4% of the state's total (20,541 deaths).
Arkansas's average age-adjusted rate across all tracked causes was 69.2 per 100,000 - 25% above the national average of 55.5. A rate this far above the national average points to a sizable mortality burden relative to the rest of the country -- the kind of gap usually tied to a stack of factors: chronic-disease prevalence, healthcare access, smoking and obesity rates, and regional socioeconomic conditions. Over the 1999–2017 window, total deaths increased by 14.6%, and the state-wide average age-adjusted rate declined by 9.8%.
How to read this record & data notes
For planners, clinicians, and individual readers, the practical read of the 2017 Arkansas 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 Arkansas? ▼
How many people died in Arkansas in 2017? ▼
What are the top 3 causes of death in Arkansas? ▼
How does Arkansas's mortality rate compare to the national average? ▼
Has the death rate in Arkansas increased or decreased over time? ▼
What years of mortality data are available for Arkansas? ▼
Where does Arkansas rank nationally for Heart disease? ▼
What the Arkansas record means
Arkansas's average age-adjusted rate runs 25% above the national figure, read the leading cause, the spread, and the trend together, not any single number.
- Heart disease is the leading cause at 223.8/100K, see how every state compares. Heart disease by state
- Put Arkansas side by side with another state before drawing conclusions. Compare states
- The state-wide rate fell 9.8% 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.