U.S. Death Rate Drops 3.8% in 2024 COVID Falls from Top 10 Causes

The U.S. death rate declined by 3.8% in 2024, reaching the lowest level since 2020, with COVID-19 dropping out of the top 10 leading causes of death for the first time since the pandemic began. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported approximately 3.07 million deaths last year, with heart disease, cancer, and unintentional injuries remaining the top three causes. Despite the overall decline, deaths from heart disease and cancer increased, and disparities persist, with Black individuals experiencing the highest death rates. Suicide replaced COVID-19 as the tenth leading cause of death, highlighting shifting mortality trends. The drop in death rates is attributed largely to fewer COVID-19 deaths, although the disease still caused tens of thousands of deaths in 2024. These provisional findings provide early insights for public health policies aimed at reducing mortality and addressing ongoing health disparities.