See visualizations like this on the Voronoi app.
Use This Visualization
The Top Causes of Death in the United States
See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
Key Takeaways
- The 10 leading causes of death account for 71% of all deaths occurring in the United States.
- Accidents are the #3 cause of death in the U.S. (222,698 deaths, 7.2%).
- Unintentional injuries rank #3 for men (9.2% of deaths), but only #6 for women (5.0%).
This infographic shows the leading causes of death in the U.S., based on recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Heart Disease and Cancer Dominate
Heart disease was responsible for 680,981 deaths (22% of the total), making it the leading cause of death. Cancer followed closely with 613,352 deaths (nearly 20%).
Accidents Rank Third
Unintentional injuries, often tied to traffic accidents, falls, or overdoses, caused 222,698 deaths. This makes them the third-leading cause of death overall, and a major outlier compared to other chronic or age-related conditions. Notably, accidents impact men more heavily, ranking third for them, while they fall to sixth among women.
| Rank | Cause of Death | Deaths | % of Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heart diseases | 680,981 | 22.0% |
| 2 | Cancer | 613,352 | 19.8% |
| 3 | Accidental injuries | 222,698 | 7.2% |
| 4 | Cerebrovascular diseases | 162,639 | 5.3% |
| 5 | Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 145,357 | 4.7% |
| 6 | Alzheimer disease | 114,034 | 3.7% |
| 7 | Diabetes | 95,190 | 3.1% |
| 8 | Kidney diseases | 55,253 | 1.8% |
| 9 | Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis | 52,222 | 1.7% |
| 10 | COVID-19 | 49,932 | 1.6% |
| - | Other Causes | 899,306 | 29.1% |
| - | All causes (total) | 3,090,964 | 100.0% |
Aging-Related Diseases on the Rise
Alzheimer’s disease ranked sixth with 114,034 deaths, reflecting the country’s aging population. Meanwhile, other chronic conditions such as diabetes (95,190 deaths) and kidney disease (55,253 deaths) also remain significant. Although COVID-19 caused nearly 50,000 deaths in 2023, it now ranks tenth, far below its peak impact earlier in the pandemic.
Chronic Conditions Among Women
For women, stroke and Alzheimer’s disease rank higher than among men, reflecting longevity differences and aging-related health risks. Stroke is the third-leading cause of death for women at 6.2%, compared to fourth for men at 4.4%. Alzheimer’s also ranks higher among women (5.3%) than men (2.2%), consistent with the fact that women live longer on average.
| Rank | Female – Cause of Death | % |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heart disease | 20.7 |
| 2 | Cancer | 19.8 |
| 3 | Stroke | 6.2 |
| 4 | Alzheimer disease | 5.3 |
| 5 | Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 5.3 |
| 6 | Unintentional injuries | 5 |
| 7 | Diabetes | 2.7 |
| 8 | Kidney disease | 1.8 |
| 9 | COVID-19 | 1.6 |
| 10 | Hypertension | 1.5 |
| — | Other | 30 |
Mental Health and Other Conditions
Suicide appears in the top 10 for men, making up 2.4% of all male deaths, but it does not appear on the female list. Conversely, hypertension ranks tenth among women (1.5%), while it does not appear in the male rankings.
| Rank | Male – Cause of Death | % |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heart disease | 23.3 |
| 2 | Cancer | 19.9 |
| 3 | Unintentional injuries | 9.2 |
| 4 | Stroke | 4.4 |
| 5 | Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 4.2 |
| 6 | Diabetes | 3.4 |
| 7 | Suicide | 2.4 |
| 8 | Alzheimer disease | 2.2 |
| 9 | Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis | 2 |
| 10 | Kidney disease | 1.8 |
| — | Other | 27.3 |
Learn More on the Voronoi App
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The U.S. States Leading in Organ Donations on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.