9 Most Common Causes Of Death In The US

#1 Suicide

The amount of Americans who died of suicide accounted for 1.7 percent of the country’s more than 2.8 million registered deaths in 2017 – up from its share of 1.6 percent in 2016.

Number of Deaths: 47,173
Rate: 14.0

#2 Kidney Disease

The rate at which kidney disease killed Americans ticked slightly down in 2017 from 2016, from 13.1 to 13.0, but the condition still accounted for 1.8 percent of total deaths.

Number of Deaths: 50,633
Rate: 13.0




#3 Influenza And Pneumonia

The death rate rose significantly, from 13.5 in 2016. Notably, the CDC estimates that nearly 80,000 deaths were associated with influenza during the highly severe 2017-2018 flu season.

Number of Deaths: 55,672
Rate: 14.3

#4 Diabetes

Diabetes accounted for 3 percent of total deaths in 2017, with the death rate for the disease ticking up half a percentage point – from 21 to 21.5 – between 2016 and 2017.

Number of Deaths: 83,564
Rate: 21.5




#5 Stroke

The rate of stroke-caused deaths increased from 37.3 in 2016 to 37.6 in 2017, as strokes accounted for 5.2 percent of total registered deaths.

Number of Deaths: 146,383
Rate: 37.6

#6 Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases

This category includes chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – itself encompassing emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Such conditions accounted for 5.7 percent of U.S. deaths in 2017, up from 5.6 percent a year earlier.

Number of Deaths: 160,201
Rate: 40.9




#7 Accidents/Unintentional Injuries

Unintentional injuries resulting from things like car accidents and falls accounted for 6 percent of U.S. deaths in 2017, with their death rate rising from 47.4 in 2016 to 49.4 in 2017. Notably, the category also includes fatal drug overdoses, which increased overall from 63,632 in 2016 to 70,237 in 2017.

Number of Deaths: 169,936
Rate: 49.4

#8 Cancer

Cancer remained the No. 2 killer of Americans in 2017, accounting for 21.3 percent of overall deaths. However, its fatality rate fell from 155.8 in 2016 to 152.5 in 2017, marking the only statistically significant death-rate decrease among all the top 10 causes of death in the U.S. between the two years.

Number of Deaths: 599,108
Rate: 152.5




#9 Heart Disease

Heart disease remained the top killer in the U.S. in 2017, accounting for 23 percent of registered deaths. Though its death rate fell from 165.5 in 2016, the decrease was not deemed statistically significant.

Number of Deaths: 647,457
Rate: 165.0