State mortality · CDC NCHS 2017

District of Columbia - Mortality Statistics

3,581 deaths in 2017 across 10 tracked causes, at a state average age-adjusted rate of 52.5 per 100,000.

Data updated 2017-12-31

3,581
Deaths, 2017: Heart disease
Leading cause: −5%
vs national avg: 52.5
Avg age-adj /100K

The verdict

District of Columbia's leading killer is heart disease at 189.8 per 100K (age-adjusted); the state's average age-adjusted rate across tracked causes runs 5% below the national figure.

189.8
Heart disease /100K, leading: −5%
vs national avg rate: -29.1%
rate, 1999-2017: 3,581
total deaths, 2017

Source: CDC WONDER, Underlying Cause of Death (CDC NCHS / NVSS), 2017. Age-adjusted rates allow fair comparison across states.

FIPS 11 · CDC WONDER 2017

District of Columbia mortality desk

RATE-QUIET 52.5/100K DEATHS-TINY 3,581 RANK-LOWER #31/51 LEAD-CAUSE Heart disease · 189.8 NAT-INLINE −5% vs US TREND-STEEP-DOWN -29.1% 18y PHOTO-FINISH New Hampshire · ±0.2 BOOK-FULL 10 causes · 2017

2017: 3,581 deaths across 10 tracked causes at 52.5/100K mean age-adjusted · corpus #31/51 · 5% below US avg. Nearest rate peer: New Hampshire (-0.2/100K).

Neighbourhood around District of Columbia's 52.5/100K mean, not a full 51-state distribution reprint.

Top 5 Causes of Death

The five leading causes account for 3,126 deaths (87.3% of all deaths) in District of Columbia.

1. Heart disease 1,284 (35.9%)

2. Cancer 1,031 (28.8%)

3. Unintentional injuries 427 (11.9%)

4. Stroke 246 (6.9%)

5. Diabetes 138 (3.9%)

All Causes of Death in District of Columbia (2017)

#	Cause of death	Deaths	% of total	Age-adj /100K
1	Heart disease	1,284	35.9%	189.8
2	Cancer	1,031	28.8%	152.8
3	Unintentional injuries	427	11.9%	61.0
4	Stroke	246	6.9%	35.9
5	Diabetes	138	3.9%	20.1
6	CLRD	137	3.8%	19.6
7	Alzheimer's disease	125	3.5%	17.6
8	Influenza and pneumonia	79	2.2%	11.4
9	Kidney disease	67	1.9%	10.0
10	Suicide	47	1.3%	6.6

Mortality Trends Over Time

District of Columbia - average age-adjusted death rate across all leading causes.

Show the full 19-year data table (deaths, rate, year-over-year change)

Year	Total Deaths	Avg Age-Adj Rate	Deaths YoY
1999	4,127	74.0	-
2000	4,236	75.1	+2.6%
2001	4,239	75.3	+0.1%
2002	4,056	72.2	-4.3%
2003	3,857	69.0	-4.9%
2004	3,844	68.8	-0.3%
2005	3,742	66.5	-2.7%
2006	3,790	67.9	+1.3%
2007	3,622	64.1	-4.4%
2008	3,540	62.2	-2.3%
2009	3,281	57.1	-7.3%
2010	3,366	57.3	+2.6%
2011	3,251	54.1	-3.4%
2012	3,350	55.0	+3.0%
2013	3,401	54.6	+1.5%
2014	3,420	53.9	+0.6%
2015	3,437	53.3	+0.5%
2016	3,646	55.6	+6.1%
2017	3,581	52.5	-1.8%

(Phase 2 - dim 5+6 connective signal). The card grid + this table used to show the SAME 3-5 neighbor states' SAME stats twice in a row -- merged into one section, the table absorbs the card grid's job since it already links each state name AND adds California's own row for direct comparison. -->

Nearby States & Comparisons

Compare mortality data with states bordering District of Columbia (2017).

State	Deaths (Top Cause)	Leading Cause	Age-Adj Rate
District of Columbia (this state)	1,284	Heart disease	189.8
Maryland	11,653	Heart disease	164.5
Virginia	15,064	Cancer	152.6

Compare leading causes of death in District of Columbia →

States with similar CDC WONDER rates

Two non-border peer sets for District of Columbia in 2017. Border neighbors stay in the table above; these lists are nearest other jurisdictions on published age-adjusted rates.

Similar mean leading-cause rate

Nearest jurisdictions by mean age-adjusted rate across leading causes (52.5/100K here), excluding bordering states.

New Hampshire 52.3/100K Wyoming 52.9/100K Illinois 53.0/100K Rhode Island 51.9/100K

Similar suicide rate (X60-X84)

Nearest jurisdictions by suicide age-adjusted rate, excluding the mean-rate peer set and bordering states.

New York 8.1/100K New Jersey 8.3/100K Massachusetts 9.5/100K California 10.5/100K

Dig deeper into District of Columbia's mortality data

All causes in District of Columbia → Compare District of Columbia →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the leading cause of death in District of Columbia? ▼

In 2017, District of Columbia's top killer was Heart disease -- 1,284 deaths at an age-adjusted rate of 189.8 per 100,000.

How many people died in District of Columbia in 2017? ▼

In 2017, there were 3,581 recorded deaths in District of Columbia across 10 tracked causes of death.

What are the top 3 causes of death in District of Columbia? ▼

The top 3 causes of death in District of Columbia (2017) are: 1) Heart disease (1,284 deaths), 2) Cancer (1,031 deaths), and 3) Unintentional injuries (427 deaths).

How does District of Columbia's mortality rate compare to the national average? ▼

District of Columbia's average age-adjusted mortality rate is 52.5 per 100,000, which is below the national average of 55.5 per 100,000.

Has the death rate in District of Columbia increased or decreased over time? ▼

From 1999 to 2017, total deaths in District of Columbia changed by -13.2%. The average age-adjusted rate decreased by 29.1%.

What years of mortality data are available for District of Columbia? ▼

Mortality data for District of Columbia is available from 1999 to 2017, covering 19 years of CDC WONDER data.

Where does District of Columbia rank nationally for Heart disease? ▼

Out of 51 states tracked for Heart disease, District of Columbia sits at #12, with an age-adjusted rate of 189.8 per 100,000 -- higher rank means a higher mortality rate.

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 for calendar years 1999-2017). June 2026 is when this portal last verified that frozen CDC file is intact; it is not a newer claims year. 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 2017.