Causes of death
Stroke deaths in the US
Stroke killed 171,516 people in the United States in 2025, making it the #4 cause of death. Adjusted for the country's aging population, the death rate is 39.6 per 100,000, down 36% from 61.6 in 1999.
Stroke deaths per year, 1999 to 2025
Data table
| Year | Deaths | Crude rate per 100,000 | Age-adjusted rate per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 167,366 | 59.979 | 61.608 |
| 2000 | 167,661 | 59.576 | 60.865 |
| 2001 | 163,538 | 57.388 | 58.373 |
| 2002 | 162,672 | 56.557 | 57.237 |
| 2003 | 157,689 | 54.355 | 54.574 |
| 2004 | 150,074 | 51.254 | 51.175 |
| 2005 | 143,579 | 48.586 | 47.962 |
| 2006 | 137,119 | 45.955 | 44.798 |
| 2007 | 135,952 | 45.132 | 43.515 |
| 2008 | 134,148 | 44.114 | 42.051 |
| 2009 | 128,842 | 41.999 | 39.594 |
| 2010 | 129,476 | 41.936 | 39.129 |
| 2011 | 128,932 | 41.378 | 37.895 |
| 2012 | 128,546 | 40.949 | 36.889 |
| 2013 | 128,978 | 40.799 | 36.166 |
| 2014 | 133,103 | 41.744 | 36.471 |
| 2015 | 140,323 | 43.657 | 37.625 |
| 2016 | 142,142 | 43.989 | 37.343 |
| 2017 | 146,383 | 44.941 | 37.586 |
| 2018 | 147,810 | 45.179 | 37.069 |
| 2019 | 150,005 | 45.7 | 36.958 |
| 2020 | 160,264 | 48.641 | 38.841 |
| 2021 | 162,890 | 49.079 | 41.139 |
| 2022 | 165,393 | 49.625 | 39.528 |
| 2023 | 162,639 | 48.561 | 38.958 |
| 2024 | 166,852 | 49.058 | 38.621 |
| 2025 | 171,516 | 50.429 | 39.641 |
It ranked #3 in 1999 and #4 in 2025, and has been as high as #3.
What stroke means here
A stroke happens when blood flow to part of the brain is cut off by a clot, which is the more common kind, or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. High blood pressure is the strongest risk factor, along with an irregular heartbeat, smoking and diabetes. Many people survive a stroke, so the death count understates how common it is.
CDC category: Cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69)
What stands out in the 2025 data
- It accounted for 5.5% of all US deaths in 2025, about 1 in 18.
- Deaths from it are at the highest level in the data, which starts in 1999.
- 71% of the people who died of it were 75 or older.
- The age-adjusted death rate is similar for men and women (40.3 and 38.6 per 100,000).
Who dies of stroke
| Age | Deaths | Per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 | 92 | 2.5 |
| 1 to 4 | 50 | 0.3 |
| 5 to 14 | 96 | 0.2 |
| 15 to 24 | 151 | 0.3 |
| 25 to 34 | 522 | 1.1 |
| 35 to 44 | 2,161 | 4.7 |
| 45 to 54 | 5,088 | 12.5 |
| 55 to 64 | 13,011 | 31.2 |
| 65 to 74 | 29,196 | 82.4 |
| 75 to 84 | 50,893 | 263.7 |
| 85 and over | 70,256 | 1091.8 |
| Sex | Deaths | Age-adjusted rate |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 95,960 | 38.6 |
| Men | 75,556 | 40.3 |
Common questions
How many people die of stroke in the US each year?
Stroke caused 171,516 deaths in the United States in 2025 (CDC provisional data), compared with 167,366 in 1999.
Is the stroke death rate going up or down?
The age-adjusted death rate for stroke was 39.6 per 100,000 in 2025, down 36% from 61.6 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 stroke rank among causes of death?
It ranked #3 in 1999 and #4 in 2025, and has been as high as #3. The top causes in 2025 were heart disease, cancer and accidents.
Who dies of stroke?
Most deaths, and the highest death rate, were in people aged 85 and over (70,256 deaths in 2025). 75,556 men and 95,960 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
- Heart disease · 695,898 deaths in 2025, #1
- High blood pressure · 43,422 deaths in 2025, #13
- Alzheimer's disease · 116,856 deaths in 2025, #6
- Why accidents overtook stroke around 2015
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.