State mortality · CDC NCHS 2017

Washington - Mortality Statistics

42,205 deaths in 2017 across 10 tracked causes, at a state average age-adjusted rate of 50.9 per 100,000.

Data updated 2017-12-31

42,205
Deaths, 2017: Cancer
Leading cause: −8%
vs national avg: 50.9
Avg age-adj /100K

The verdict

Washington's leading killer is cancer at 148.4 per 100K (age-adjusted); the state's average age-adjusted rate across tracked causes runs 8% below the national figure.

148.4
Cancer /100K, leading: −8%
vs national avg rate: -23.6%
rate, 1999-2017: 42,205
total deaths, 2017

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

FIPS 53 · CDC WONDER 2017

Washington mortality desk

RATE-QUIET 50.9/100K DEATHS-MID 42K deaths RANK-LOWER #37/51 LEAD-CAUSE Cancer · 148.4 NAT-BELOW −8% vs US TREND-STEEP-DOWN -23.6% 18y PHOTO-FINISH Oregon · ±0.1 BOOK-FULL 10 causes · 2017

2017: 42,205 deaths across 10 tracked causes at 50.9/100K mean age-adjusted · corpus #37/51 · 8% below US avg. Nearest rate peer: Oregon (+0.1/100K).

Neighbourhood around Washington's 50.9/100K mean, not a full 51-state distribution reprint.

Top 5 Causes of Death

The five leading causes account for 34,588 deaths (82.0% of all deaths) in Washington.

1. Cancer 12,664 (30.0%)

2. Heart disease 11,582 (27.4%)

3. Alzheimer's disease 3,710 (8.8%)

4. Unintentional injuries 3,455 (8.2%)

5. CLRD 3,177 (7.5%)

All Causes of Death in Washington (2017)

#	Cause of death	Deaths	% of total	Age-adj /100K
1	Cancer	12,664	30.0%	148.4
2	Heart disease	11,582	27.4%	138.8
3	Alzheimer's disease	3,710	8.8%	46.0
4	Unintentional injuries	3,455	8.2%	44.0
5	CLRD	3,177	7.5%	38.1
6	Stroke	3,028	7.2%	36.9
7	Diabetes	1,812	4.3%	21.6
8	Suicide	1,297	3.1%	16.9
9	Influenza and pneumonia	1,041	2.5%	12.6
10	Kidney disease	439	1.0%	5.3

Mortality Trends Over Time

Washington - 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	35,750	66.6	-
2000	35,605	65.3	-0.4%
2001	35,963	64.6	+1.0%
2002	36,389	63.9	+1.2%
2003	36,817	63.4	+1.2%
2004	35,423	59.5	-3.8%
2005	36,232	59.5	+2.3%
2006	35,784	56.8	-1.2%
2007	36,863	57.1	+3.0%
2008	37,790	57.1	+2.5%
2009	37,425	55.0	-1.0%
2010	36,981	53.2	-1.2%
2011	37,805	52.5	+2.2%
2012	37,657	51.1	-0.4%
2013	38,012	50.3	+0.9%
2014	38,818	50.1	+2.1%
2015	40,524	50.9	+4.4%
2016	40,352	49.4	-0.4%
2017	42,205	50.9	+4.6%

(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 Washington (2017).

State	Deaths (Top Cause)	Leading Cause	Age-Adj Rate
Washington (this state)	12,664	Cancer	148.4
Idaho	3,084	Heart disease	162.5
Oregon	8,083	Cancer	154.2

Compare leading causes of death in Washington →

States with similar CDC WONDER rates

Two non-border peer sets for Washington 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 (50.9/100K here), excluding bordering states.

Virginia 51.5/100K North Dakota 50.2/100K Arizona 50.1/100K Florida 50.0/100K

Similar suicide rate (X60-X84)

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

Kentucky 16.9/100K Tennessee 16.8/100K Alabama 16.6/100K Indiana 16.3/100K

Dig deeper into Washington's mortality data

All causes in Washington → Compare Washington →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the leading cause of death in Washington? ▼

Washington recorded 12,664 deaths from Cancer in 2017 (age-adjusted rate 148.4 per 100,000), the state's leading cause.

How many people died in Washington in 2017? ▼

In 2017, there were 42,205 recorded deaths in Washington across 10 tracked causes of death.

What are the top 3 causes of death in Washington? ▼

The top 3 causes of death in Washington (2017) are: 1) Cancer (12,664 deaths), 2) Heart disease (11,582 deaths), and 3) Alzheimer's disease (3,710 deaths).

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

Washington's average age-adjusted mortality rate is 50.9 per 100,000, which is below the national average of 55.5 per 100,000.

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

From 1999 to 2017, total deaths in Washington changed by 18.1%. The average age-adjusted rate decreased by 23.6%.

What years of mortality data are available for Washington? ▼

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

Where does Washington rank nationally for Cancer? ▼

Washington ranks #36 out of 51 states for Cancer with an age-adjusted rate of 148.4 per 100,000 (higher rank = higher 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.