Leading Causes of Death – Females – All races and origins – United States, 2018
Looking for men’s leading causes of death data? Visit Leading Causes of Death – Males – United States.
| Rank | Disease | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| 1) | Heart Disease | 21.8% |
| 2) | Cancer | 20.5% |
| 3) | Stroke | 6.2% |
| 4)3 | Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease | 6.1% |
| 5)3 | Alzheimer’s Disease | 6.1% |
| 6) | Unintentional Injuries | 4.3% |
| 7) | Diabetes | 2.7% |
| 8) | Influenza & Pneumonia | 2.2% |
| 9) | Kidney Disease | 1.8% |
| 10) | Septicemia | 1.5% |
*Data available in Table 1 of the NCHS National Vital Statistics Report Volume 70, Number 4 May 17, 2021
1 Persons identified as White, Black, American Indian or Alaska Native, or Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander were of non-Hispanic origin. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race. Figures for origin not stated are included in “all races and origins” but not distributed among race and Hispanic origin groups. For more information on race and Hispanic origin classification please see the Technical Notes section of “Deaths: Leading Causes for 2018”.
2 Figures include all ages, including age not stated.
3 The data presented are percentages of deaths. Due to rounding, some percentages appear to be ties but are not.
| Rank | Disease | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| 1) | Heart Disease | 23.1% |
| 2) | Cancer | 21.0% |
| 3) | Unintentional Injuries | 6.1% |
| 4) | Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease | 5.5% |
| 5) | Stroke | 5.3% |
| 6) | Alzheimer’s Disease | 4.3% |
| 7) | Diabetes | 3.1% |
| 8) | Kidney Disease | 1.8% |
| 9)3 | Influenza & Pneumonia | 1.7% |
| 10)3 | Suicide | 1.7% |
*Data available in Table 1 of the NCHS National Vital Statistics Report Volume 70, Number 4 May 17, 2021
1 Persons identified as White, Black, American Indian or Alaska Native, or Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander were of non-Hispanic origin. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race. Figures for origin not stated are included in “all races and origins” but not distributed among race and Hispanic origin groups. For more information on race and Hispanic origin classification please see the Technical Notes section of “Deaths: Leading Causes for 2018”.
2 Figures include all ages, including age not stated.
3 The data presented are percentages of deaths. Due to rounding, some percentages appear to be ties but are not.
| Age Group3 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank2 | 1-19 years | 20-44 years | 45-64 years | 65-84 years | 85+ years | All ages |
| 1) | Unintentional Injuries 31.5% |
Unintentional Injuries 35.1% |
Cancer 28.0% |
Cancer 26.9% |
Heart Disease 28.6% |
Heart Disease 21.8% |
| 2) | Suicide 15.3% |
Cancer 13.8% |
Heart Disease 21.0% |
Heart Disease 22.6% |
Cancer 11.7% |
Cancer 20.5% |
| 3) | Homicide 12.2% |
Suicide 12.2% |
Unintentional Injuries 8.7% |
Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease 7.5% |
Alzheimer’s Disease 9.1% |
Stroke 6.2% |
| 4) | Cancer 9.1% |
Heart Disease 9.3% |
Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease 4.2% |
Stroke 5.2% |
Stroke 7.3% |
Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease4 6.1% |
| 5) | Birth Defects 4.7% |
Homicide 7.2% |
Chronic Liver Disease & Cirrhosis 4.1% |
Diabetes 3.5% |
Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease 5.1% |
Alzheimer Disease4 6.1% |
| 6) | Heart Disease 2.8% |
Chronic Liver Disease & Cirrhosis 2.6% |
Diabetes 3.9% |
Unintentional Injuries 2.7%3 |
Influenza & Pneumonia 2.8% |
Unintentional Injuries 4.3% |
| 7) | Influenza & Pneumonia 1.6% |
Diabetes 2.1% |
Stroke 3.3% |
Alzheimer’s Disease 2.7%3 |
Unintentional Injuries 2.7% |
Diabetes 2.7% |
| 8) | Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease 1.2% |
Stroke 1.4% |
Suicide 3.1% |
Kidney Disease 2.1% |
Diabetes4 1.9% |
Influenza & Pneumonia 2.2% |
| 9) | Stroke 0.9% |
Influenza & Pneumonia 0.97% |
Septicemia4 1.5% |
Influenza & Pneumonia 2.0% |
Kidney Disease4 1.9% |
Kidney Disease 1.8% |
| 10) | Septicemia 0.45% |
Septicemia 0.52% |
Influenza & Pneumonia 1.5% |
Parkinson Disease 1.1% |
Hypertension 1.7% |
Septicemia 1.5% |
1 Persons identified as White, Black, American Indian or Alaskan Native, or Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander were of non-Hispanic origin. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race. For more information on race and Hispanic origin classification please see the Technical Notes section of “Deaths: Leading Causes for 2018”
2 Based on number of deaths. Tie ranks are listed in order of ICD-10 code.
3 Figures for age not stated are included in “all ages” but not distributed among age groups.
3The data presented are percentages of deaths. Due to rounding, some percentages appear to be ties but are not.
4The data presented are percentages of deaths. Due to rounding, some percentages appear to be ties but are not.
Short and Full Terms
Some terms in the leading causes of death tables have been shortened from those used in the National Vital Statistics Report. Below is a listing of the shortened terms used in the tables and their full, unabridged equivalents used in the report.
| Short Term | Full Term |
|---|---|
| Benign neoplasms | In situ neoplasms, benign neoplasms and neoplasms of uncertain or unknown behavior |
| Birth Defects | Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities |
| Bronchitis | Acute bronchitis and bronchiolitis |
| Cancer | Malignant neoplasms |
| Diabetes | Diabetes mellitus |
| Heart Disease | Diseases of the heart |
| HIV disease | Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease |
| Homicide | Assault (homicide) |
| Hypertension | Essential hypertension and hypertensive renal disease |
| Kidney Disease | Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis |
| Perinatal Conditions | Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period |
| Pregnancy Complications | Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium |
| Stroke | Cerebrovascular diseases |
| Suicide | Intentional self-harm (suicide) |
| Unintentional Injuries | Accidents (unintentional injuries) |
| ———————- | Cell blank due to previous tie ranks or no data available |