US Death Rate Falls to 689 per 100,000, Pointing to Record 2025 Life Expectancy
Updated
Updated · CNN · Jul 2
US Death Rate Falls to 689 per 100,000, Pointing to Record 2025 Life Expectancy
2 articles · Updated · CNN · Jul 2
Summary
689 deaths per 100,000 people in 2025 marked the lowest US age-adjusted mortality rate in more than a century, making a record-high life expectancy likely once final data are processed.
The rate fell 22% from 2021 and 4% below 2019, with experts pointing to post-pandemic declines and a sharp drop in overdose deaths—still about 70,000 in 2025—as key drivers.
Heart disease remained the top killer at nearly 695,000 deaths, followed by cancer at nearly 623,000, while unintentional injuries—including overdoses—ranked third.
The gains were uneven: death rates among Black and American Indian people were more than twice those of Asian people, and men died at a rate of 811 per 100,000 versus 583 for women.
Experts said the rebound is encouraging but incomplete, noting US mortality had flatlined around 2010 and that firearms, suicide, alcohol-related disease, diabetes and heart disease still weigh on younger and middle-aged adults.
While average life expectancy hits a record, why do deep mortality gaps between different communities persist?
As Americans live longer than ever, how will the nation afford the rising costs of an aging population?
US Death Rate Hits Historic Low in 2025: Life Expectancy Soars Amid Persistent Health Gaps
Overview
In 2025, the United States reached a historic milestone as life expectancy hit an all-time high, driven by a significant decline in death rates across most demographics. Data from 2024 showed that nearly all age groups experienced lower death rates, with children aged 5 to 14 having the lowest and people aged 85 and older the highest. However, a notable disparity remains between men and women, as men faced a much higher age-adjusted death rate than women. These trends highlight both the progress in public health and the ongoing challenges of addressing health differences among Americans.