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United States Value:
Deaths due to COVID-19 per 100,000 population (age-adjusted)
Explore Population Data:
Deaths due to COVID-19 per 100,000 population (age-adjusted)
Deaths due to COVID-19 per 100,000 population (age-adjusted)
Deaths due to COVID-19 per 100,000 population (age-adjusted)
CDC WONDER, Provisional Multiple Cause of Death Files
Deaths due to COVID-19 per 100,000 population (age-adjusted)
CDC WONDER, Provisional Multiple Cause of Death Files
US Value: 102.6
Top State(s): Vermont: 29.4
Bottom State(s): Oklahoma: 154.8
Definition: Deaths due to COVID-19 per 100,000 population (age-adjusted)
Data Source and Years: CDC WONDER, Provisional Multiple Cause of Death Files, 2021
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of CDC WONDER, Provisional Multiple Cause of Death Files, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2023.
COVID-19 is a relatively mild illness for most people. However, those with certain medical conditions, older adults and pregnant women are at increased risk of severe illness and death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the COVID-19 pandemic has claimed more than 1,047,020 lives across the U.S. as of September 14th, 2022. In 2021, COVID-19 was the third-leading cause of death. Provisional death data suggest that more deaths due to COVID-19 occurred in 2021 than in 2020.
The COVID-19 crisis has placed enormous stress on medical systems. Hospitals, in particular, have a limited number of beds in their inpatient and intensive care units, which affects their ability to provide care during surges in COVID-19 cases and hospital demand. Many hospitals in the U.S. and other countries have reached maximum capacity at some point during the pandemic, which has been shown to lead to an increase in the number of deaths in the weeks immediately following.
Deaths from COVID-19 are higher among:
Vaccination is a critical component in reducing deaths from COVID-19. All COVID-19 vaccines available in the U.S. help prevent serious illness and death from COVID-19 infections. Vaccination also helps protect the community and at-risk populations, which is critical to reducing the number of additional deaths due to COVID-19.
Reducing the number of deaths requires minimizing the number of people exposed to or at risk of contracting the virus. In addition to vaccination and basic hygiene (e.g., handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes), the CDC recommends the following to avoid infection:
The CDC also has information on monitoring your health daily, testing options and quarantine and isolation recommendations.
Updated 09/16/22
Ahmad, Farida B., Jodi A. Cisewski, and Robert N. Anderson. “Provisional Mortality Data — United States, 2021.” MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 71, no. 17 (April 29, 2022): 597–600. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7117e1.
French, Geoffrey, Mary Hulse, Debbie Nguyen, Katharine Sobotka, Kaitlyn Webster, Josh Corman, Brago Aboagye-Nyame, et al. “Impact of Hospital Strain on Excess Deaths During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, July 2020–July 2021.” MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 70, no. 46 (November 19, 2021): 1613–16. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7046a5.
America’s Health Rankings builds on the work of the United Health Foundation to draw attention to public health and better understand the health of various populations. Our platform provides relevant information that policymakers, public health officials, advocates and leaders can use to effect change in their communities.
We have developed detailed analyses on the health of key populations in the country, including women and children, seniors and those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to a deep dive into health disparities across the country.