State mortality · CDC NCHS 2017
California - Mortality Statistics
206,761 deaths in 2017 across 10 tracked causes, at a state average age-adjusted rate of 47.6 per 100,000.
Data updated 2026-05-19
- 206,761
- Deaths, 2017
- Heart disease
- Leading cause
- −14%
- vs national avg
- 47.6
- Avg age-adj /100K
The verdict
California's leading killer is heart disease at 142.9 per 100K (age-adjusted); the state's average age-adjusted rate across tracked causes runs 14% below the national figure.
- 142.9
- Heart disease /100K, leading
- −14%
- vs national avg rate
- -27.3%
- rate, 1999–2017
- 206,761
- total deaths, 2017
Source: CDC WONDER, Underlying Cause of Death (CDC NCHS / NVSS), 2017. Age-adjusted rates allow fair comparison across states.
Where California sits among all 51 states
Average age-adjusted death rate across the leading causes, 2017
47.6 Lower than 88% lower than 88% 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
California recorded 206,761 deaths in 2017 across 10 tracked causes (CDC WONDER · methodology). Total annual deaths rose from 186,153 in 1999 to 206,761 in 2017 (11.1%) - a modest trend over 18 years.
Key Statistics
Top 5 Causes of Death
The five leading causes account for 168,787 deaths (81.6% of all deaths) in California.
All Causes of Death in California (2017)
| # | Cause of death | Deaths | % of total | Age-adj /100K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heart disease | 62,797 | 30.4% | 142.9 |
| 2 | Cancer | 59,516 | 28.8% | 136.8 |
| 3 | Stroke | 16,355 | 7.9% | 37.6 |
| 4 | Alzheimer's disease | 16,238 | 7.9% | 37.1 |
| 5 | CLRD | 13,881 | 6.7% | 32.2 |
| 6 | Unintentional injuries | 13,840 | 6.7% | 33.2 |
| 7 | Diabetes | 9,595 | 4.6% | 22.1 |
| 8 | Influenza and pneumonia | 6,340 | 3.1% | 14.6 |
| 9 | Suicide | 4,312 | 2.1% | 10.5 |
| 10 | Kidney disease | 3,887 | 1.9% | 8.9 |
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 | 186,153 | 65.5 | - |
| 2000 | 184,789 | 63.9 | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 185,627 | 62.7 | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 189,105 | 62.5 | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 192,388 | 62.1 | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 185,881 | 59.1 | -3.4% |
| 2005 | 188,194 | 58.3 | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 187,124 | 57.0 | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 184,297 | 54.8 | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 184,292 | 53.4 | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 182,633 | 51.6 | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 183,002 | 50.7 | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 185,950 | 49.8 | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 186,472 | 48.5 | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 190,211 | 48.3 | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 189,112 | 46.6 | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 199,970 | 47.9 | +5.7% |
| 2016 | 202,300 | 47.5 | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 206,761 | 47.6 | +2.2% |
National Comparison
How California compares to the national average in 2017.
California's national standing for Heart disease is #41 of 51 states, at an age-adjusted rate of 142.9 per 100,000.
Nearby States & Comparisons
Compare mortality data with states bordering California (2017).
Dig deeper into California's mortality data
What the 2017 California Mortality Record Shows
In 2017, CDC WONDER tallied 206,761 deaths in California across 10 tracked cause-of-death categories. Heart disease led the record with 62,797 deaths at an age-adjusted rate of 142.9 per 100,000, placing California at #41 of 51 states for this cause, where a higher rank corresponds to a higher rate. The top five causes accounted for 168,787 deaths (81.6% of the state total).
California's average age-adjusted rate across all tracked causes was 47.6 per 100,000 - 14% below the national average of 55.5. Sitting below the national figure is a favorable aggregate signal, but it can still mask individual causes running hotter than the national picture -- worth checking the full causes table above. Over the 1999–2017 window, total deaths increased by 11.1%, and the state-wide average age-adjusted rate declined by 27.3%.
How to read this record & data notes
For planners, clinicians, and individual readers, the practical read of the 2017 California 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 California? ▼
How many people died in California in 2017? ▼
What are the top 3 causes of death in California? ▼
How does California's mortality rate compare to the national average? ▼
Has the death rate in California increased or decreased over time? ▼
What years of mortality data are available for California? ▼
Where does California rank nationally for Heart disease? ▼
What the California record means
California's average age-adjusted rate runs 14% 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 142.9/100K, see how every state compares. Heart disease by state
- Put California side by side with another state before drawing conclusions. Compare states
- The state-wide rate fell 27.3% 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.