AI Generated Image
Death rate falls to record low as ODs and COVID deaths sink
New York Post • • general
Key Points:
- The US death rate dropped 4.6% in 2024 to 689.2 deaths per 100,000 people, reaching the lowest level on record, driven mainly by declines in fatal drug overdoses and COVID-19 deaths.
- Death rates fell across nearly all demographics and age groups, although Black Americans and men continue to have higher death rates compared to other groups.
- Influenza and pneumonia deaths increased significantly, rising from the 11th to the 8th leading cause of death, with 56,500 deaths in 2025 compared to 48,100 in 2024.
- The rise in flu-related deaths is attributed to more dangerous virus strains and declining vaccination rates, amid growing national vaccine hesitancy.
- The 2024-25 flu season was particularly severe, resulting in an estimated 51 million cases and 710,000 hospitalizations, according to the CDC.
