State mortality · CDC NCHS 2017
Tennessee - Mortality Statistics
52,331 deaths in 2017 across 10 tracked causes, at a state average age-adjusted rate of 66.4 per 100,000.
Data updated 2026-05-19
- 52,331
- Deaths, 2017
- Heart disease
- Leading cause
- +20%
- vs national avg
- 66.4
- Avg age-adj /100K
The verdict
Tennessee's leading killer is heart disease at 202.2 per 100K (age-adjusted); the state's average age-adjusted rate across tracked causes runs 20% above the national figure.
- 202.2
- Heart disease /100K, leading
- +20%
- vs national avg rate
- -15.5%
- rate, 1999–2017
- 52,331
- total deaths, 2017
Source: CDC WONDER, Underlying Cause of Death (CDC NCHS / NVSS), 2017. Age-adjusted rates allow fair comparison across states.
Where Tennessee sits among all 51 states
Average age-adjusted death rate across the leading causes, 2017
66.4 Lower than 12% lower than 12% 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
Tennessee recorded 52,331 deaths in 2017 across 10 tracked causes (CDC WONDER · methodology). Total annual deaths rose from 43,120 in 1999 to 52,331 in 2017 (21.4%) - a meaningful change over 18 years.
Key Statistics
Top 5 Causes of Death
The five leading causes account for 42,935 deaths (82.0% of all deaths) in Tennessee.
All Causes of Death in Tennessee (2017)
| # | Cause of death | Deaths | % of total | Age-adj /100K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heart disease | 16,019 | 30.6% | 202.2 |
| 2 | Cancer | 14,302 | 27.3% | 173.4 |
| 3 | CLRD | 4,657 | 8.9% | 57.4 |
| 4 | Unintentional injuries | 4,435 | 8.5% | 63.0 |
| 5 | Alzheimer's disease | 3,522 | 6.7% | 46.7 |
| 6 | Stroke | 3,519 | 6.7% | 45.0 |
| 7 | Diabetes | 1,915 | 3.7% | 24.0 |
| 8 | Influenza and pneumonia | 1,656 | 3.2% | 21.3 |
| 9 | Suicide | 1,166 | 2.2% | 16.8 |
| 10 | Kidney disease | 1,140 | 2.2% | 14.4 |
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 | 43,120 | 78.6 | - |
| 2000 | 43,991 | 79.3 | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 43,450 | 77.1 | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 44,601 | 78.3 | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 45,060 | 78.0 | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 43,987 | 74.9 | -2.4% |
| 2005 | 44,972 | 75.0 | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 44,394 | 71.8 | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 44,404 | 70.2 | 0.0% |
| 2008 | 45,435 | 70.3 | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 44,877 | 67.8 | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 45,875 | 68.3 | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 45,740 | 66.0 | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 46,179 | 65.2 | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 47,382 | 65.4 | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 48,411 | 65.5 | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 50,304 | 66.5 | +3.9% |
| 2016 | 50,870 | 66.0 | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 52,331 | 66.4 | +2.9% |
National Comparison
How Tennessee compares to the national average in 2017.
Ranked against every other state on Heart disease, Tennessee lands at #6 out of 51 (age-adjusted rate 202.2 per 100,000) -- higher ranks reflect higher mortality.
Nearby States & Comparisons
Compare mortality data with states bordering Tennessee (2017).
| State | Deaths (Top Cause) | Leading Cause | Age-Adj Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee (this state) | 16,019 | Heart disease | 202.2 |
| Alabama | 13,110 | Heart disease | 223.2 |
| Arkansas | 8,270 | Heart disease | 223.8 |
| Georgia | 18,389 | Heart disease | 175.8 |
| Kentucky | 10,343 | Heart disease | 195.9 |
| Mississippi | 7,944 | Heart disease | 231.6 |
| Missouri | 14,820 | Heart disease | 191.1 |
| North Carolina | 19,474 | Cancer | 157.1 |
| Virginia | 15,064 | Cancer | 152.6 |
Dig deeper into Tennessee's mortality data
What the 2017 Tennessee Mortality Record Shows
52,331 deaths were recorded in Tennessee for 2017 across 10 CDC WONDER categories. Leading the record is Heart disease, with 16,019 deaths at 202.2 per 100,000 (age-adjusted) -- nationally Tennessee sits at #6 of 51 states for this cause, where a higher rank corresponds to a higher rate. The top five causes together represent 82.0% of the state's total (42,935 deaths).
Tennessee's average age-adjusted rate across all tracked causes was 66.4 per 100,000 - 20% above the national average of 55.5. A double-digit-plus gap above the national figure is not noise; it usually shows up consistently across the top causes rather than in just one, which is why the full causes table below is worth reading alongside this number. Over the 1999–2017 window, total deaths increased by 21.4%, and the state-wide average age-adjusted rate declined by 15.5%.
How to read this record & data notes
For planners, clinicians, and individual readers, the practical read of the 2017 Tennessee 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 Tennessee? ▼
How many people died in Tennessee in 2017? ▼
What are the top 3 causes of death in Tennessee? ▼
How does Tennessee's mortality rate compare to the national average? ▼
Has the death rate in Tennessee increased or decreased over time? ▼
What years of mortality data are available for Tennessee? ▼
Where does Tennessee rank nationally for Heart disease? ▼
What the Tennessee record means
Tennessee's average age-adjusted rate runs 20% 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 202.2/100K, see how every state compares. Heart disease by state
- Put Tennessee side by side with another state before drawing conclusions. Compare states
- The state-wide rate fell 15.5% 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.