State mortality · CDC NCHS 2017

South Dakota - Mortality Statistics

6,071 deaths in 2017 across 10 tracked causes, at a state average age-adjusted rate of 55.5 per 100,000.

Data updated 2017-12-31

6,071
Deaths, 2017: Cancer
Leading cause: −0%
vs national avg: 55.5
Avg age-adj /100K

The verdict

South Dakota's leading killer is cancer at 156.9 per 100K (age-adjusted); the state's average age-adjusted rate across tracked causes runs 0% below the national figure.

156.9
Cancer /100K, leading: −0%
vs national avg rate: -16.2%
rate, 1999-2017: 6,071
total deaths, 2017

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

FIPS 46 · CDC WONDER 2017

South Dakota mortality desk

RATE-QUIET 55.5/100K DEATHS-SMALL 6,071 RANK-UPPER #20/51 LEAD-CAUSE Cancer · 156.9 NAT-INLINE −0% vs US TREND-STEEP-DOWN -16.2% 18y PHOTO-FINISH Idaho · ±0.1 BOOK-FULL 10 causes · 2017

2017: 6,071 deaths across 10 tracked causes at 55.5/100K mean age-adjusted · corpus #20/51 · 0% below US avg. Nearest rate peer: Idaho (-0.1/100K).

Neighbourhood around South Dakota's 55.5/100K mean, not a full 51-state distribution reprint.

Top 5 Causes of Death

The five leading causes account for 4,911 deaths (80.9% of all deaths) in South Dakota.

1. Cancer 1,715 (28.2%)

2. Heart disease 1,710 (28.2%)

3. Unintentional injuries 537 (8.8%)

4. CLRD 505 (8.3%)

5. Alzheimer's disease 444 (7.3%)

All Causes of Death in South Dakota (2017)

#	Cause of death	Deaths	% of total	Age-adj /100K
1	Cancer	1,715	28.2%	156.9
2	Heart disease	1,710	28.2%	150.1
3	Unintentional injuries	537	8.8%	56.1
4	CLRD	505	8.3%	45.3
5	Alzheimer's disease	444	7.3%	36.9
6	Stroke	414	6.8%	36.7
7	Diabetes	263	4.3%	24.9
8	Influenza and pneumonia	217	3.6%	19.0
9	Suicide	191	3.1%	22.5
10	Kidney disease	75	1.2%	6.8

Mortality Trends Over Time

South Dakota - 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	5,704	66.2	-
2000	5,762	66.1	+1.0%
2001	5,573	63.6	-3.3%
2002	5,572	62.8	-0.0%
2003	5,670	63.5	+1.8%
2004	5,469	60.1	-3.5%
2005	5,689	61.8	+4.0%
2006	5,548	58.9	-2.5%
2007	5,439	56.7	-2.0%
2008	5,527	57.0	+1.6%
2009	5,458	55.5	-1.2%
2010	5,552	55.8	+1.7%
2011	5,673	55.8	+2.2%
2012	5,675	54.9	0.0%
2013	5,516	52.6	-2.8%
2014	5,796	54.4	+5.1%
2015	5,873	54.0	+1.3%
2016	5,924	54.3	+0.9%
2017	6,071	55.5	+2.5%

(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 South Dakota (2017).

State	Deaths (Top Cause)	Leading Cause	Age-Adj Rate
South Dakota (this state)	1,715	Cancer	156.9
Iowa	7,180	Heart disease	167.4
Minnesota	9,896	Cancer	146.8
Montana	2,164	Heart disease	155.0
Nebraska	3,581	Heart disease	149.3
North Dakota	1,326	Heart disease	137.8
Wyoming	1,001	Heart disease	148.9

Compare leading causes of death in South Dakota →

States with similar CDC WONDER rates

Two non-border peer sets for South Dakota 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 (55.5/100K here), excluding bordering states.

Idaho 55.4/100K Kansas 55.3/100K Delaware 56.0/100K Maine 56.6/100K

Similar suicide rate (X60-X84)

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

Utah 22.7/100K New Mexico 23.3/100K West Virginia 21.1/100K Arkansas 20.8/100K

Dig deeper into South Dakota's mortality data

All causes in South Dakota → Compare South Dakota →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the leading cause of death in South Dakota? ▼

Cancer tops the 2017 record for South Dakota, accounting for 1,715 deaths at 156.9 per 100,000 (age-adjusted).

How many people died in South Dakota in 2017? ▼

In 2017, there were 6,071 recorded deaths in South Dakota across 10 tracked causes of death.

What are the top 3 causes of death in South Dakota? ▼

The top 3 causes of death in South Dakota (2017) are: 1) Cancer (1,715 deaths), 2) Heart disease (1,710 deaths), and 3) Unintentional injuries (537 deaths).

How does South Dakota's mortality rate compare to the national average? ▼

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

Has the death rate in South Dakota increased or decreased over time? ▼

From 1999 to 2017, total deaths in South Dakota changed by 6.4%. The average age-adjusted rate decreased by 16.2%.

What years of mortality data are available for South Dakota? ▼

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

Where does South Dakota rank nationally for Cancer? ▼

For Cancer, South Dakota's national position is #22 of 51 states, at 156.9 deaths per 100,000 (age-adjusted).

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.