W Why We Die

Causes of death

Heart disease deaths in the US

Heart disease killed 695,897 people in the United States in 2025, making it the leading cause of death. Adjusted for the country's aging population, the death rate is 160.3 per 100,000, down 40% from 266.5 in 1999.

Heart disease deaths per year, 1999 to 2025

Last two years are CDC provisional.
Data table
Year Deaths Crude rate per 100,000 Age-adjusted rate per 100,000
1999725,192259.888266.457
2000710,760252.56257.639
2001700,142245.691249.507
2002696,947242.311244.639
2003685,089236.15236.312
2004652,486222.84221.633
2005652,091220.661216.849
2006631,636211.689205.472
2007616,067204.516196.091
2008616,828202.841192.12
2009599,413195.394182.823
2010597,689193.586179.144
2011596,577191.461173.744
2012599,711191.043170.512
2013611,105193.309169.773
2014614,348192.672166.989
2015633,842197.201168.491
2016635,260196.597165.53
2017647,457198.778165.04
2018655,381200.32163.61
2019659,041200.781161.52
2020696,962211.531168.193
2021695,547209.569173.783
2022702,880210.893167.229
2023680,981203.33162.079
2024683,491200.961157.598
2025695,897204.609160.299

It has been the #1 cause of death in every year since 1999.

Who dies of heart disease

By age, 2025
AgeDeathsPer 100,000
Under 12486.9
1 to 41340.9
5 to 141930.5
15 to 248451.9
25 to 343,3027.1
35 to 4411,34724.9
45 to 5429,09871.4
55 to 6475,163180.4
65 to 74139,438393.4
75 to 84189,845983.7
85 and over246,2703827
By sex, 2025
SexDeathsAge-adjusted rate
Women311,284125.6
Men384,613201.7

Common questions

How many people die of heart disease in the US each year?

Heart disease caused 695,897 deaths in the United States in 2025 (CDC provisional data), compared with 725,192 in 1999.

Is the heart disease death rate going up or down?

The age-adjusted death rate for heart disease was 160.3 per 100,000 in 2025, down 40% from 266.5 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 heart disease rank among causes of death?

It has been the #1 cause of death in every year since 1999. The top causes in 2025 were heart disease, cancer and accidents.

Who dies of heart disease?

Most deaths, and the highest death rate, were in people aged 85 and over (246,270 deaths in 2025). 384,613 men and 311,284 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.