CDC report shows US death rate returns to prepandemic levels

By Admin

11 Sep, 2025

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released its latest report, revealing that the overall death rate in the United States dropped back to prepandemic levels in 2024. This marks a significant milestone after years of elevated mortality due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Decline in Overall Deaths

According to the report, there were nearly 3.1 million deaths recorded in 2024, reflecting a nearly 4 percent decrease compared to the previous year. This decline brings the nation’s death rate closer to trends seen before the pandemic struck in 2020, signaling a broad improvement in public health outcomes.

Leading Causes of Death

Despite the overall decline, the report highlights persistent health challenges:

• Heart disease and cancer remained the top two causes of death, together accounting for more than 40 percent of all fatalities.
  
  

• Unintentional injuries, which include accidents and overdoses, ranked as the third leading cause of death.
  
  

These findings emphasize the ongoing need for prevention, education, and access to quality healthcare to address long-standing health risks.

COVID-19 Falls Out of Top 10

Perhaps the most striking detail is that, despite tens of thousands of cases, COVID-19 no longer ranked among the top 10 leading causes of death in the United States. This marks the first time since the pandemic began in 2020 that the virus has fallen off the list, reflecting the success of vaccines, treatments, and public health measures in reducing its deadly impact.

What This Means Moving Forward

The CDC’s findings represent a hopeful shift, signaling that the U.S. is moving past the pandemic’s most devastating years. However, the continued dominance of heart disease, cancer, and accidental deaths underscores the importance of preventive healthcare, lifestyle awareness, and policy measures that can further reduce mortality rates.

As the nation reflects on this milestone, the focus now turns to building healthier communities, addressing chronic illnesses, and ensuring that the hard-learned lessons of the pandemic translate into long-term improvements in public health.