Causes of death
Chronic lung disease deaths in the US
Chronic lung disease killed 148,561 people in the United States in 2025, making it the #5 cause of death. Adjusted for the country's aging population, the death rate is 33.0 per 100,000, down 27% from 45.4 in 1999.
Chronic lung disease deaths per year, 1999 to 2025
Data table
| Year | Deaths | Crude rate per 100,000 | Age-adjusted rate per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 124,181 | 44.503 | 45.429 |
| 2000 | 122,009 | 43.354 | 44.153 |
| 2001 | 123,013 | 43.167 | 43.862 |
| 2002 | 124,816 | 43.395 | 43.879 |
| 2003 | 126,382 | 43.564 | 43.742 |
| 2004 | 121,987 | 41.661 | 41.606 |
| 2005 | 130,933 | 44.306 | 43.89 |
| 2006 | 124,583 | 41.753 | 41.013 |
| 2007 | 127,924 | 42.467 | 41.355 |
| 2008 | 141,090 | 46.397 | 44.671 |
| 2009 | 137,353 | 44.774 | 42.651 |
| 2010 | 138,080 | 44.723 | 42.183 |
| 2011 | 142,943 | 45.875 | 42.513 |
| 2012 | 143,489 | 45.71 | 41.543 |
| 2013 | 149,205 | 47.198 | 42.137 |
| 2014 | 147,101 | 46.134 | 40.453 |
| 2015 | 155,041 | 48.236 | 41.617 |
| 2016 | 154,596 | 47.844 | 40.56 |
| 2017 | 160,201 | 49.184 | 40.916 |
| 2018 | 159,486 | 48.748 | 39.714 |
| 2019 | 156,979 | 47.825 | 38.175 |
| 2020 | 152,657 | 46.332 | 36.41 |
| 2021 | 142,342 | 42.888 | 34.709 |
| 2022 | 147,382 | 44.221 | 34.281 |
| 2023 | 145,357 | 43.401 | 33.444 |
| 2024 | 145,643 | 42.822 | 32.414 |
| 2025 | 148,561 | 43.68 | 33.02 |
It ranked #4 in 1999 and #5 in 2025, and has been as high as #3.
What chronic lung disease means here
This category is mainly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which covers emphysema and chronic bronchitis, plus chronic asthma. Smoking is by far the main cause, so deaths trail smoking rates by decades. Cases develop slowly and many people live with the condition for years before it is the cause of death.
CDC category: Chronic lower respiratory diseases (J40-J47)
What stands out in the 2025 data
- It accounted for 4.8% of all US deaths in 2025, about 1 in 21.
- Deaths peaked in 2017 at 160,201. 2025 is 7% below it.
- 60% of the people who died of it were 75 or older.
- The age-adjusted death rate is similar for men and women (34.9 and 31.6 per 100,000).
Who dies of chronic lung disease
| Age | Deaths | Per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 | under 10 | |
| 1 to 4 | 38 | 0.3 |
| 5 to 14 | 120 | 0.3 |
| 15 to 24 | 210 | 0.5 |
| 25 to 34 | 332 | 0.7 |
| 35 to 44 | 703 | 1.5 |
| 45 to 54 | 2,448 | 6 |
| 55 to 64 | 14,380 | 34.5 |
| 65 to 74 | 40,647 | 114.7 |
| 75 to 84 | 52,557 | 272.3 |
| 85 and over | 37,115 | 576.8 |
| Sex | Deaths | Age-adjusted rate |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 79,373 | 31.6 |
| Men | 69,188 | 34.9 |
Common questions
How many people die of chronic lung disease in the US each year?
Chronic lung disease caused 148,561 deaths in the United States in 2025 (CDC provisional data), compared with 124,181 in 1999.
Is the chronic lung disease death rate going up or down?
The age-adjusted death rate for chronic lung disease was 33.0 per 100,000 in 2025, down 27% from 45.4 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 chronic lung disease rank among causes of death?
It ranked #4 in 1999 and #5 in 2025, and has been as high as #3. The top causes in 2025 were heart disease, cancer and accidents.
Who dies of chronic lung disease?
The most deaths were in people aged 75 to 84 (52,557 in 2025), and the highest death rate was in those aged 85 and over. 69,188 men and 79,373 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.
Keep reading
- Cancer · 623,191 deaths in 2025, #2
- Flu & pneumonia · 56,617 deaths in 2025, #8
- Heart disease · 695,898 deaths in 2025, #1
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.