The three leading causes of death in 2023 were heart disease (680,909 deaths), cancer (613,331), and unintentional injury (222,518). COVID-19, listed as the underlying cause in 49,928 deaths during 2023, ranked as the 10th leading underlying cause of death (COVID-19 was the fourth leading cause of death in 2022).
In 2023, a provisional total of 3,090,582 deaths occurred in the United States. The age-adjusted death rate per 100,000 population was 884.2 among males and 632.8 among females; the overall rate, 750.4, was 6.1% lower than in 2022 (798.8). The overall rate decreased for all age groups. Overall age-adjusted death rates in 2023 were lowest among non-Hispanic multiracial (352.1) and highest among non-Hispanic Black or African American persons (924.3).
The estimated age-adjusted death rate, 750.4 per 100,000 persons, was 6.1% lower in 2023 than in 2022. Death rates were highest among males, older adults, and Black persons. The highest weekly numbers of overall deaths and COVID-19 deaths occurred during early January and late December. COVID-19 was the underlying cause for 1.6% of all deaths in 2023, decreasing from 5.7% (186,552 deaths) in 2022. Deaths from heart disease decreased in 2023 compared with 2022 (702,880 deaths), and deaths from cancer increased from 2022 (608,371).
COVID-19 Deaths
During 2023, COVID-19 was listed as the underlying or contributing cause of 76,446 deaths (18.2 per 100,000), a 68.9% decrease from 245,614 (58.7 per 100,000) in 2022. The COVID-19 death rate decreased from 2022 to 2023 for all age groups. As with deaths overall, the age-adjusted COVID-19–associated death rate per 100,000 among males was higher than that among females (15.4).
Overall death rates and COVID-19–associated death rates decreased from 2022 to 2023 for all demographic groups (but not significantly for ages 0–4 years). Although the overall and COVID-19 death rates decreased from 2022 to 2023 for persons aged ≥85 years, rates for this group remained higher than those for all other age groups. Overall and COVID-19–associated death rates decreased for all racial and ethnic groups. In 2023, White and AI/AN persons had the highest COVID-19–associated death rate (19.6 and 18.7, respectively), a shift from 2020−2022 when COVID-19 death rates were highest among AI/AN persons.
*The National Center for Health Statistics’ (NCHS) National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) collects and reports annual mortality statistics using U.S. death certificate data. Because of the time needed to investigate certain causes of death and to process and review death data, final annual mortality data for a given year are typically released 11 months after the end of the calendar year. Provisional data, which are based on preliminary death certificate data sent to NCHS, provide an early estimate of deaths before the release of final data. NVSS routinely releases provisional mortality data for all causes of death, including deaths involving COVID-19.
If you or a loved one were injured (or worse) as a result of medical malpractice in the United States, you should promptly find a medical malpractice lawyer in your state who may investigate your medical malpractice claim for you and represent you or your loved one in a medical malpractice case, if appropriate.
Visit our website or call us on our toll-free number in the United States (800-295-3959) to find medical malpractice attorneys in your state who may help you.
Turn to us when you don’t know where to turn.
