Causes of death
Liver disease deaths in the US
Liver disease killed 51,997 people in the United States in 2025, making it the #10 cause of death. Adjusted for the country's aging population, the death rate is 12.7 per 100,000, up 33% from 9.6 in 1999.
Liver disease deaths per year, 1999 to 2025
Data table
| Year | Deaths | Crude rate per 100,000 | Age-adjusted rate per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 26,259 | 9.41 | 9.563 |
| 2000 | 26,552 | 9.435 | 9.55 |
| 2001 | 27,035 | 9.487 | 9.507 |
| 2002 | 27,257 | 9.477 | 9.41 |
| 2003 | 27,503 | 9.48 | 9.292 |
| 2004 | 27,013 | 9.226 | 8.957 |
| 2005 | 27,530 | 9.316 | 8.949 |
| 2006 | 27,555 | 9.235 | 8.769 |
| 2007 | 29,165 | 9.682 | 9.091 |
| 2008 | 29,963 | 9.853 | 9.165 |
| 2009 | 30,558 | 9.961 | 9.145 |
| 2010 | 31,903 | 10.333 | 9.381 |
| 2011 | 33,642 | 10.797 | 9.677 |
| 2012 | 34,979 | 11.143 | 9.913 |
| 2013 | 36,427 | 11.523 | 10.155 |
| 2014 | 38,170 | 11.971 | 10.432 |
| 2015 | 40,326 | 12.546 | 10.845 |
| 2016 | 40,545 | 12.548 | 10.732 |
| 2017 | 41,743 | 12.816 | 10.882 |
| 2018 | 42,838 | 13.094 | 11.054 |
| 2019 | 44,358 | 13.514 | 11.341 |
| 2020 | 51,642 | 15.674 | 13.26 |
| 2021 | 56,585 | 17.049 | 14.467 |
| 2022 | 54,803 | 16.443 | 13.843 |
| 2023 | 52,222 | 15.593 | 13.027 |
| 2024 | 52,274 | 15.37 | 12.748 |
| 2025 | 51,997 | 15.288 | 12.681 |
It ranked #12 in 1999 and #10 in 2025, and has been as high as #9.
What liver disease means here
Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis is a slow scarring of the liver. Heavy alcohol use is the largest cause, and viral hepatitis and fatty liver disease are behind many other cases. Deaths from alcohol-related liver disease rose sharply in the early 2020s, and the disease often goes unnoticed until it is advanced.
CDC category: Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis (K70,K73-K74)
What stands out in the 2025 data
- It accounted for 1.7% of all US deaths in 2025, about 1 in 60.
- Deaths peaked in 2021 at 56,585. 2025 is 8% below it.
- 55% of the people who died of it were under 65.
- Men were 62% of the deaths, and their age-adjusted death rate was 1.8 times the rate for women.
Who dies of liver disease
| Age | Deaths | Per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 | under 10 | |
| 1 to 4 | under 10 | |
| 5 to 14 | under 10 | |
| 15 to 24 | 62 | 0.1 |
| 25 to 34 | 1,458 | 3.1 |
| 35 to 44 | 4,991 | 11 |
| 45 to 54 | 8,246 | 20.2 |
| 55 to 64 | 13,653 | 32.8 |
| 65 to 74 | 13,620 | 38.4 |
| 75 to 84 | 7,696 | 39.9 |
| 85 and over | 2,269 | 35.3 |
| Sex | Deaths | Age-adjusted rate |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 19,893 | 9.3 |
| Men | 32,104 | 16.4 |
Common questions
How many people die of liver disease in the US each year?
Liver disease caused 51,997 deaths in the United States in 2025 (CDC provisional data), compared with 26,259 in 1999.
Is the liver disease death rate going up or down?
The age-adjusted death rate for liver disease was 12.7 per 100,000 in 2025, up 33% from 9.6 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 liver disease rank among causes of death?
It ranked #12 in 1999 and #10 in 2025, and has been as high as #9. The top causes in 2025 were heart disease, cancer and accidents.
Who dies of liver disease?
The most deaths were in people aged 55 to 64 (13,653 in 2025), and the highest death rate was in those aged 75 to 84. 32,104 men and 19,893 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
- Accidents · 186,344 deaths in 2025, #3
- Diabetes · 95,369 deaths in 2025, #7
- Kidney disease · 55,435 deaths in 2025, #9
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.