SUMMARYThe US age-adjusted death rate fell to a record low in 2025, likely setting up a record high in life expectancy as mortality improved across age groups. CDC data showed about 689 deaths per 100,000 people, the lowest rate in more than a century of tracking, with the rate down 22% from 2021 and about 4% below 2019 levels. Heart disease and cancer remained the leading causes of death, while overdose deaths declined sharply to about 70,000.
The US age-adjusted death rate fell to a record low in 2025, likely pushing life expectancy to a record high as overdose deaths declined and mortality improved across all age groups. CNN reports: There were about 689 deaths for every 100,000 people in the US in 2025, according to a new report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- the lowest rate recorded in more than a century of tracking. The age-adjusted rate has fallen 22% since 2021, landing about 4% lower than it was just before the pandemic in 2019. [...] The top causes of death in the US in 2025 followed longstanding patterns: Heart disease led with nearly 695,000 deaths, followed by cancer with nearly 623,000 deaths.
Unintentional injuries, which includes drug overdoses, were the third leading cause of death. Overdose deaths are still high -- about 70,000 people died from an overdose in 2025, preliminary CDC data shows -- but experts say that sharp declines probably played a large role in bringing the age-adjusted death rate down in the US.