Causes of death
Flu & pneumonia deaths in the US
Flu & pneumonia killed 56,620 people in the United States in 2025, making it the #8 cause of death. Adjusted for the country's aging population, the death rate is 13.1 per 100,000, down 44% from 23.5 in 1999.
Flu & pneumonia deaths per year, 1999 to 2025
Data table
| Year | Deaths | Crude rate per 100,000 | Age-adjusted rate per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 63,730 | 22.839 | 23.493 |
| 2000 | 65,313 | 23.208 | 23.736 |
| 2001 | 62,034 | 21.769 | 22.181 |
| 2002 | 65,681 | 22.836 | 23.157 |
| 2003 | 65,163 | 22.462 | 22.568 |
| 2004 | 59,664 | 20.377 | 20.373 |
| 2005 | 63,001 | 21.319 | 21.044 |
| 2006 | 56,326 | 18.877 | 18.412 |
| 2007 | 52,717 | 17.501 | 16.832 |
| 2008 | 56,284 | 18.509 | 17.604 |
| 2009 | 53,692 | 17.502 | 16.525 |
| 2010 | 50,097 | 16.226 | 15.104 |
| 2011 | 53,826 | 17.275 | 15.745 |
| 2012 | 50,636 | 16.131 | 14.447 |
| 2013 | 56,979 | 18.024 | 15.877 |
| 2014 | 55,227 | 17.32 | 15.128 |
| 2015 | 57,062 | 17.753 | 15.236 |
| 2016 | 51,537 | 15.949 | 13.527 |
| 2017 | 55,672 | 17.092 | 14.299 |
| 2018 | 59,120 | 18.07 | 14.872 |
| 2019 | 49,783 | 15.167 | 12.323 |
| 2020 | 53,544 | 16.251 | 13.049 |
| 2021 | 41,917 | 12.63 | 10.531 |
| 2022 | 47,052 | 14.118 | 11.303 |
| 2023 | 45,185 | 13.491 | 10.854 |
| 2024 | 48,139 | 14.154 | 11.205 |
| 2025 | 56,620 | 16.648 | 13.148 |
It ranked #7 in 1999 and #8 in 2025, and has been as high as #7.
Who dies of flu & pneumonia
| Age | Deaths | Per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 | 129 | 3.6 |
| 1 to 4 | 139 | 0.9 |
| 5 to 14 | 175 | 0.4 |
| 15 to 24 | 255 | 0.6 |
| 25 to 34 | 574 | 1.2 |
| 35 to 44 | 1,193 | 2.6 |
| 45 to 54 | 2,317 | 5.7 |
| 55 to 64 | 5,788 | 13.9 |
| 65 to 74 | 11,295 | 31.9 |
| 75 to 84 | 16,333 | 84.6 |
| 85 and over | 18,422 | 286.3 |
| Sex | Deaths | Age-adjusted rate |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 27,906 | 11.5 |
| Men | 28,714 | 15.3 |
Common questions
How many people die of flu & pneumonia in the US each year?
Flu & pneumonia caused 56,620 deaths in the United States in 2025 (CDC provisional data), compared with 63,730 in 1999.
Is the flu & pneumonia death rate going up or down?
The age-adjusted death rate for flu & pneumonia was 13.1 per 100,000 in 2025, down 44% from 23.5 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 flu & pneumonia rank among causes of death?
It ranked #7 in 1999 and #8 in 2025, and has been as high as #7. The top causes in 2025 were heart disease, cancer and accidents.
Who dies of flu & pneumonia?
Most deaths, and the highest death rate, were in people aged 85 and over (18,422 deaths in 2025). 28,714 men and 27,906 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.