Causes of death
Flu & pneumonia deaths in the US
Flu & pneumonia killed 56,617 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 | 56,617 | 16.647 | 13.148 |
It ranked #7 in 1999 and #8 in 2025, and has been as high as #7.
What flu & pneumonia means here
This category covers influenza and pneumonia caused by viruses or bacteria. Pneumonia from inhaling food or liquid is counted separately, and so is COVID-19. Deaths swing from year to year with how severe the flu season is, and they are concentrated among people over 75.
CDC category: Influenza and pneumonia (J09-J18)
What stands out in the 2025 data
- It accounted for 1.8% of all US deaths in 2025, about 1 in 55.
- Deaths peaked in 2002 at 65,681. 2025 is 14% below it.
- 61% of the people who died of it were 75 or older.
- Men were 51% of the deaths, and their age-adjusted death rate was 1.3 times the rate for women.
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 | 11,294 | 31.9 |
| 75 to 84 | 16,332 | 84.6 |
| 85 and over | 18,421 | 286.3 |
| Sex | Deaths | Age-adjusted rate |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 27,904 | 11.5 |
| Men | 28,713 | 15.3 |
Common questions
How many people die of flu & pneumonia in the US each year?
Flu & pneumonia caused 56,617 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 (18,421 deaths in 2025). 28,713 men and 27,904 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
- Aspiration pneumonia · 18,865 deaths in 2025, #16
- COVID-19 · 13,799 deaths in 2025, #19
- Chronic lung disease · 148,561 deaths in 2025, #5
- How a severe flu winter moved total US deaths
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.