What Are the Leading Causes of Death in the U.S.?

Alzheimer’s disease was the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States in 2023, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In terms of age-adjusted data, 27.7 people died from Alzheimer’s disease for every 100,000 adults in 2023, equating to 3.7 percent of overall deaths registered by the CDC.

This is likely even a low estimate however as people who die from Alzheimer’s disease may succumb to conditions such as pneumonia (infection of the lungs). Since CDC data is reported based on death certificates, which say immediate cause rather than underlying cause of death, their figures are underrepresentative. According to a study by Rush University Medical Center, Alzheimer’s disease could result in five to six times more deaths than currently reported in the U.S.

As the following chart shows, heart disease remained the leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2023, with 162 people per 100,000 population dying from the cause. It was followed by cancer (142 per 100,000) and unintentional injuries (62 per 100,000 people). Covid-19 dropped from sixth position to tenth position in 2023.