Death Rate by State

Last updated September 18, 2024

Death Rate
Top
Last
Death Rate (per 100k)Question Mark
1.MississippiMississippi1138.7
2.AlabamaAlabama1057.8
3.West VirginiaWest Virginia1055.8
4.LouisianaLouisiana1044.7
5.KentuckyKentucky1031.6
6.TennesseeTennessee1015.1
7.OklahomaOklahoma1011.6
8.ArkansasArkansas1002.4
9.IndianaIndiana967.1
10.OhioOhio953.9
11.MissouriMissouri937.6
12.South CarolinaSouth Carolina937.6
13.New MexicoNew Mexico912.5
14.MichiganMichigan907.7
15.GeorgiaGeorgia902.1
16.KansasKansas882.2
17.South DakotaSouth Dakota868.1
18.PennsylvaniaPennsylvania866
19.TexasTexas862.1
20.North CarolinaNorth Carolina856.4
21.NevadaNevada853.3
22.IllinoisIllinois850.7
23.North DakotaNorth Dakota848.8
24.IowaIowa848.6
25.WyomingWyoming842
26.MontanaMontana839.4
27.DelawareDelaware835.9
28.New JerseyNew Jersey834.4
29.WisconsinWisconsin828.4
30.MarylandMaryland820.5
31.NebraskaNebraska817.2
32.Rhode IslandRhode Island806.6
33.ArizonaArizona800.3
34.New YorkNew York797.1
35.VirginiaVirginia792.8
36.MaineMaine787.2
37.IdahoIdaho784.4
38.ConnecticutConnecticut769.1
39.AlaskaAlaska768.4
40.UtahUtah765.3
41.MassachusettsMassachusetts756.7
42.ColoradoColorado754.2
43.OregonOregon741.2
44.MinnesotaMinnesota739.6
45.New HampshireNew Hampshire737.8
46.VermontVermont737.7
47.FloridaFlorida735.7
48.WashingtonWashington711.2
49.CaliforniaCalifornia705.3
50.HawaiiHawaii588

Introduction

Understanding mortality rates across various states offers critical insights into health outcomes, public health risks, and the potential influences exerted by local factors, such as access to healthcare services, socioeconomic conditions, and environmental concerns. Using a standard measure of the number of deaths per 100 thousand residents allows us to make like-for-like comparisons between states.

  • Southern states dominate the top ranks in terms of death rate, with Mississippi having the highest mortality rate at 1138.7 deaths per 100 thousand residents, followed closely by Alabama and West Virginia.
  • The states with the lowest death rates are located in the West and Northeast, particularly Hawaii and California, indicating better health outcomes.
  • Midwestern states like Indiana, Ohio, and Missouri also have high death rates, which may be influenced by factors such as lower healthcare access, higher rates of smoking or obesity, and relative economic disadvantage as compared to other regions.
  • Generally, states with high death rates are in the South, Midwest, and parts of the East Coast, while states with low death rates are along the West Coast and Northeast.

States with the Highest Death Rate

The state with the highest death rate is Mississippi, marking 1,138.7 deaths per 100K. This is significantly higher than other states, possibly due to disparate factors such as access to healthcare, poverty rates and prevalence of chronic diseases. Alabama and West Virginia register the second and third highest death rates in the country, amounting to 1,057.8 and 1,055.8 deaths per 100,000 residents respectively. They face similar challenges as Mississippi, with healthcare access, socioeconomic conditions and disease prevalence potentially playing key roles. Louisiana and Kentucky follow suit with death rates of 1,044.7 and 1,031.6 per 100,000 residents, placing them at fourth and fifth place accordingly. Other states making it to the top ten for the highest death rates include Tennessee, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Indiana and Ohio, presenting death rates ranging from 1,015.1 for Tennessee down to 953.9 for Ohio. States with the highest death rates:

  1. Mississippi - 1,138.7
  2. Alabama - 1,057.8
  3. West Virginia - 1,055.8
  4. Louisiana - 1,044.7
  5. Kentucky - 1,031.6
  6. Tennessee - 1,015.1
  7. Oklahoma - 1,011.6
  8. Arkansas - 1,002.4
  9. Indiana - 967.1
  10. Ohio - 953.9

By Region

Alabama

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Ranked in U.S.

#2

Alaska

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Ranked in U.S.

#39

Arizona

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Ranked in U.S.

#33

Arkansas

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Ranked in U.S.

#8

California

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Ranked in U.S.

#49

Colorado

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Ranked in U.S.

#42

Connecticut

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Ranked in U.S.

#38

Delaware

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Ranked in U.S.

#27

Florida

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Ranked in U.S.

#47

Georgia

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Ranked in U.S.

#15

Hawaii

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Ranked in U.S.

#50

Idaho

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Ranked in U.S.

#37

Illinois

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Ranked in U.S.

#22

Indiana

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Ranked in U.S.

#9

Iowa

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Ranked in U.S.

#24

Kansas

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Ranked in U.S.

#16

Kentucky

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Ranked in U.S.

#5

Louisiana

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Ranked in U.S.

#4

Maine

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Ranked in U.S.

#36

Maryland

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Ranked in U.S.

#30

Massachusetts

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Ranked in U.S.

#41

Michigan

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Ranked in U.S.

#14

Minnesota

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Ranked in U.S.

#44

Mississippi

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Ranked in U.S.

#1

Missouri

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Ranked in U.S.

#11

Montana

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Ranked in U.S.

#26

Nebraska

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Ranked in U.S.

#31

Nevada

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Ranked in U.S.

#21

New Hampshire

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Ranked in U.S.

#45

New Jersey

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Ranked in U.S.

#28

New Mexico

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Ranked in U.S.

#13

New York

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Ranked in U.S.

#34

North Carolina

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Ranked in U.S.

#20

North Dakota

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Ranked in U.S.

#23

Ohio

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Ranked in U.S.

#10

Oklahoma

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Ranked in U.S.

#7

Oregon

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Ranked in U.S.

#43

Pennsylvania

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Ranked in U.S.

#18

Rhode Island

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Ranked in U.S.

#32

South Carolina

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Ranked in U.S.

#12

South Dakota

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Ranked in U.S.

#17

Tennessee

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Ranked in U.S.

#6

Texas

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Ranked in U.S.

#19

Utah

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Ranked in U.S.

#40

Vermont

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Ranked in U.S.

#46

Virginia

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Ranked in U.S.

#35

Washington

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Ranked in U.S.

#48

West Virginia

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Ranked in U.S.

#3

Wisconsin

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Ranked in U.S.

#29

Wyoming

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Ranked in U.S.

#25

Table

Region ↕Death Rate↕
Alabama iconAlabama1057.8
Alaska iconAlaska768.4
Arizona iconArizona800.3
Arkansas iconArkansas1002.4
California iconCalifornia705.3
Colorado iconColorado754.2
Connecticut iconConnecticut769.1
Delaware iconDelaware835.9
Florida iconFlorida735.7
Georgia iconGeorgia902.1
Hawaii iconHawaii588
Idaho iconIdaho784.4
Illinois iconIllinois850.7
Indiana iconIndiana967.1
Iowa iconIowa848.6
Kansas iconKansas882.2
Kentucky iconKentucky1031.6
Louisiana iconLouisiana1044.7
Maine iconMaine787.2
Maryland iconMaryland820.5
Massachusetts iconMassachusetts756.7
Michigan iconMichigan907.7
Minnesota iconMinnesota739.6
Mississippi iconMississippi1138.7
Missouri iconMissouri937.6
Montana iconMontana839.4
Nebraska iconNebraska817.2
Nevada iconNevada853.3
New Hampshire iconNew Hampshire737.8
New Jersey iconNew Jersey834.4
New Mexico iconNew Mexico912.5
New York iconNew York797.1
North Carolina iconNorth Carolina856.4
North Dakota iconNorth Dakota848.8
Ohio iconOhio953.9
Oklahoma iconOklahoma1011.6
Oregon iconOregon741.2
Pennsylvania iconPennsylvania866
Rhode Island iconRhode Island806.6
South Carolina iconSouth Carolina937.6
South Dakota iconSouth Dakota868.1
Tennessee iconTennessee1015.1
Texas iconTexas862.1
Utah iconUtah765.3
Vermont iconVermont737.7
Virginia iconVirginia792.8
Washington iconWashington711.2
West Virginia iconWest Virginia1055.8
Wisconsin iconWisconsin828.4
Wyoming iconWyoming842
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