Causes of death
Aspiration pneumonia deaths in the US
Aspiration pneumonia killed 18,865 people in the United States in 2025, making it the #16 cause of death. Adjusted for the country's aging population, the death rate is 4.3 per 100,000, down 23% from 5.6 in 1999.
Aspiration pneumonia deaths per year, 1999 to 2025
Data table
| Year | Deaths | Crude rate per 100,000 | Age-adjusted rate per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 15,268 | 5.472 | 5.637 |
| 2000 | 16,636 | 5.911 | 6.054 |
| 2001 | 17,301 | 6.071 | 6.186 |
| 2002 | 17,593 | 6.117 | 6.198 |
| 2003 | 17,335 | 5.975 | 6.02 |
| 2004 | 16,780 | 5.731 | 5.736 |
| 2005 | 17,279 | 5.847 | 5.775 |
| 2006 | 16,887 | 5.66 | 5.529 |
| 2007 | 16,988 | 5.64 | 5.442 |
| 2008 | 16,608 | 5.461 | 5.215 |
| 2009 | 15,948 | 5.199 | 4.891 |
| 2010 | 17,011 | 5.51 | 5.138 |
| 2011 | 18,195 | 5.839 | 5.312 |
| 2012 | 17,897 | 5.701 | 5.103 |
| 2013 | 18,579 | 5.877 | 5.173 |
| 2014 | 18,792 | 5.894 | 5.116 |
| 2015 | 19,803 | 6.161 | 5.272 |
| 2016 | 19,715 | 6.101 | 5.157 |
| 2017 | 20,108 | 6.173 | 5.136 |
| 2018 | 19,239 | 5.88 | 4.813 |
| 2019 | 19,184 | 5.845 | 4.701 |
| 2020 | 18,327 | 5.562 | 4.441 |
| 2021 | 19,969 | 6.017 | 5.017 |
| 2022 | 20,052 | 6.016 | 4.778 |
| 2023 | 19,540 | 5.834 | 4.64 |
| 2024 | 19,023 | 5.593 | 4.361 |
| 2025 | 18,865 | 5.547 | 4.341 |
It ranked #16 in both 1999 and 2025, and has been as high as #15.
Who dies of aspiration pneumonia
| Age | Deaths | Per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 | under 10 | |
| 1 to 4 | under 10 | |
| 5 to 14 | under 10 | |
| 15 to 24 | 43 | 0.1 |
| 25 to 34 | 93 | 0.2 |
| 35 to 44 | 227 | 0.5 |
| 45 to 54 | 514 | 1.3 |
| 55 to 64 | 1,535 | 3.7 |
| 65 to 74 | 3,483 | 9.8 |
| 75 to 84 | 5,925 | 30.7 |
| 85 and over | 7,032 | 109.3 |
| Sex | Deaths | Age-adjusted rate |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 7,699 | 3.1 |
| Men | 11,166 | 6.0 |
Common questions
How many people die of aspiration pneumonia in the US each year?
Aspiration pneumonia caused 18,865 deaths in the United States in 2025 (CDC provisional data), compared with 15,268 in 1999.
Is the aspiration pneumonia death rate going up or down?
The age-adjusted death rate for aspiration pneumonia was 4.3 per 100,000 in 2025, down 23% from 5.6 in 1999. Age adjustment removes the effect of the population getting older, so it shows whether the risk per person changed, not just the raw count.
Where does aspiration pneumonia rank among causes of death?
It ranked #16 in both 1999 and 2025, and has been as high as #15. The top causes in 2025 were heart disease, cancer and accidents.
Who dies of aspiration pneumonia?
Most deaths, and the highest death rate, were in people aged 85 and over (7,032 deaths in 2025). 11,166 men and 7,699 women died of it.
Where does this data come from?
CDC WONDER, the National Center for Health Statistics death certificate data, using the NCHS list of 113 selected causes. Counts for 2025 are provisional and can be revised slightly upward.
Source: CDC WONDER, Underlying Cause of Death, NCHS 113 selected causes. 2025 counts are provisional. Explore more on the Causes of Death page, or see what kills people your age.