The leading cause of death in the United States is heart disease. In 2022, heart disease accounted for approximately 702,880 deaths, representing about 26.2% of all deaths in the country
. This makes it the top cause of mortality, followed by cancer, which caused an estimated 611,720 deaths in 2025
. Heart disease has consistently been the leading cause of death in the US since 1950, with about 1 in 5 deaths attributed to it
. It includes various conditions related to the heart and blood vessels, often linked to plaque buildup in arteries and risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, smoking, obesity, and lack of physical activity
. Other major causes of death in the US include:
- Cancer (second leading cause, about 19% of deaths in 2022)
- Unintentional injuries (third leading cause, about 7-8.5% of deaths in 2022)
- Stroke (fourth leading cause)
- Chronic lower respiratory diseases (fifth leading cause)
- COVID-19 was a leading cause during the pandemic but dropped to the 10th position by 2023
In summary, heart disease remains the foremost cause of death in the US, responsible for over a quarter of all deaths, followed by cancer and unintentional injuries
