The provisional death rate in the United States fell by 4.6 percent in 2025, continuing a steady decline from pandemic-era highs, according to new data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The age-adjusted mortality rate declined to 689.2 deaths per 100,000 people, down from 722.1 in 2024. The rate has been falling consistently since peaking in 2021, when COVID-19 drove deaths to historic levels.
Heart disease, cancer, and unintentional injuries remained the three leading causes of death nationwide. Officials said the overall decline was partly driven by a continued reduction in fatal drug overdoses, which are classified under unintentional injuries.
Farida Ahmad, a lead author of the report at the National Center for Health Statistics, said fewer overdose deaths played a significant role in lowering overall mortality. She noted, however, that progress was uneven across causes and populations.
While many major causes declined or stabilized, deaths from influenza and pneumonia surged sharply. The number of fatalities from these illnesses rose 17 percent to 56,511 in 2025, making them the eighth leading cause of death in the country, up from 11th place a year earlier.
Ahmad said the flu season was particularly severe early in the year. She explained that January and February 2025 saw intense flu activity, which contributed to a higher number of deaths. Seasonal flu-related hospitalizations and outpatient visits during the 2024–25 season reached their highest level in 15 years.
Health officials also observed that severe flu seasons in the past have often coincided with increases in deaths from chronic illnesses. Ahmad said this pattern may help explain the roughly 1.6 percent rise in heart disease deaths recorded in 2025.
The report highlighted persistent racial and ethnic disparities in mortality. Death rates increased among American Indian and Alaska Native populations, rising to 803.8 deaths per 100,000 people. Mortality also increased among Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander populations, reaching 746 per 100,000.
Black Americans continued to experience the highest overall mortality rate at 869 deaths per 100,000 people, although the figure showed a slight improvement from the previous year. Mortality rates for Asian Americans remained largely unchanged.
Among white Americans, who accounted for about 74.5 percent of all recorded deaths, the death rate fell to 724.2 per 100,000 people.
The CDC cautioned that the findings are based on provisional death certificate data and may be revised as additional records are processed. The agency noted that some causes of death, particularly unintentional injuries, are often reported with delays and could ultimately be adjusted upward.
Officials also said variations in reporting timelines across states, possible misclassification of race and ethnicity on death certificates, and updates to Census population estimates could affect some comparisons.
