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The 10 Leading Causes of Death in the US (2024) and How to Lower Your Risk
Heart disease and cancer lead the CDC's 2024 list. Here are all 10 leading causes of death in the United States, with the prevention steps health agencies recommend.
Original commentary from the Cancer Explained editorial team.
Please note: this page is educational only — it is not medical advice, and it does not speculate about anyone’s health beyond reliable public reporting. For questions about your own health, talk with your healthcare team.
The list
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) counted 3,072,666 deaths in the United States in 2024. Life expectancy at birth rose to 79.0 years, up 0.6 year from 2023. These were the 10 leading causes.
- Heart disease: 683,491 deaths.
- Cancer: 619,876.
- Unintentional injuries: 197,449.
- Stroke: 166,852.
- Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 145,643.
- Alzheimer disease: 116,022.
- Diabetes: 94,445.
- Kidney disease: 55,081.
- Chronic liver disease: 52,274.
- Suicide: 48,824.
Suicide moved into the top 10 in 2024. COVID-19, which was 10th in 2023, fell to 15th.
Shared risk factors
The CDC says most chronic diseases come from a short list of risk factors: tobacco use, poor nutrition, physical inactivity and too much alcohol. Its four basic steps are to quit smoking, eat healthy, be active, and limit alcohol. For adults it suggests at least 150 minutes a week of moderate activity.
Those four steps touch most of the list below. Here is what the CDC and other health agencies add for each cause.
What helps with each
Heart disease. The CDC recommends healthy meals with limited salt, sugar and processed foods, a healthy weight, regular exercise and no tobacco. It also advises checking blood pressure and cholesterol, tracking blood sugar if you have diabetes, and taking prescribed medicines as directed.
Cancer. Not using tobacco and limiting alcohol lower the risk of several cancers. Screening can find some cancers early, or prevent them by finding growths before they turn into cancer. Our guides to cancer prevention and cancer screening explain what applies at different ages.
Unintentional injuries. The CDC's injury center lists overdose and poisoning, transportation safety, and falls as priorities. General steps include wearing seat belts, never driving impaired, storing medicines safely, and making your home safer against falls. Ask your care team or pharmacist about medicine safety.
Stroke. The CDC advises food low in saturated fat and salt, a healthy weight, regular activity, no smoking and limited alcohol. It also stresses controlling blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes, and treating heart rhythm problems such as atrial fibrillation.
Chronic lower respiratory diseases (such as COPD). Tobacco is the main avoidable cause. The CDC lists quitting smoking as a way to lower lung disease risk. Talk with your clinician about help to quit.
Alzheimer disease. There is no proven way to prevent it. Habits that protect the heart and blood vessels are widely thought to be good for the brain too, but the evidence is limited. Treat these as healthy habits, not a guarantee.
Diabetes. The CDC says one in three US adults has prediabetes. It describes a CDC-recognized lifestyle change program as a proven way to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented by lifestyle.
Kidney disease. The CDC says managing diabetes and high blood pressure can help prevent kidney problems. People with diabetes should be tested yearly. It also advises exercise, no smoking, less salt, and limited alcohol.
Chronic liver disease. Limiting alcohol is a CDC step that lowers the risk of liver disease. Ask your clinician whether you need hepatitis vaccines or testing.
Suicide. The CDC says suicide is preventable. Steps include learning the warning signs, strong social connections, and secure storage of firearms and medicines. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, any time.
What this does not mean
It does not mean these steps guarantee a long life. They lower risk. They do not remove it, and some causes, such as Alzheimer disease, have no proven prevention.
It does not rank how likely each cause is for you. Age, sex, family history, genes, income and health care access all change the odds. Death counts also say little about how many people live with a condition.
It does not mean cancer matters less than heart disease. Cancer is a close second, with 619,876 deaths against 683,491.
And it does not replace a visit with your own clinician. Screening, vaccines and medicines depend on your health.
Sources
- CDC National Center for Health Statistics, Mortality in the United States, 2024 (accessed 2026-10-06) — https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db548.htm
- CDC, Chronic disease risk factors and prevention (accessed 2026-10-06) — https://www.cdc.gov/chronic-disease/prevention/index.html
- CDC, Heart disease prevention (accessed 2026-10-06) — https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/prevention/index.html
- CDC, Stroke prevention (accessed 2026-10-06) — https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/prevention/index.html
- CDC, Preventing chronic kidney disease (accessed 2026-10-06) — https://www.cdc.gov/kidney-disease/prevention/index.html
- CDC, Suicide prevention (accessed 2026-10-06) — https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/prevention/index.html
- CDC, Diabetes prevention (accessed 2026-10-06) — https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention/index.html
- CDC, Injury and violence prevention (accessed 2026-10-06) — https://www.cdc.gov/injury-violence-prevention/index.html
How this article was prepared
An AI-assisted editorial system helped prepare this page. No named medical reviewer has reviewed it unless one is listed.
The National Cancer Information Foundation publishes Cancer Explained. This page is for learning. It is not medical advice and does not suggest a test or treatment.
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Put the story in context
Prevention, possible warning signs, screening, and diagnosis
This story relates to Cancer statistics. The information below is general: it does not reveal anything else about a public person’s health, and not every point applies to every cancer. Personal advice depends on age, symptoms, family history, exposures, and medical history.
Prevention and risk reduction
Not every cancer can be prevented. Avoiding tobacco, protecting skin from ultraviolet radiation, limiting alcohol, staying active, and receiving recommended HPV or hepatitis B vaccination can lower the risk of certain cancers. A risk factor is not a prediction or a cause in one individual.
Symptoms and possible early signs
Possible signs vary and are often caused by conditions other than cancer. Changes worth discussing include a new lump, unexplained bleeding or weight loss, a persistent cough, lasting bowel or bladder changes, a changing skin spot, or symptoms that persist or worsen. Some early cancers cause no symptoms.
Screening and early detection
Screening looks for certain cancers before symptoms begin. Recommended tests exist only for some cancers and depend on age and risk. Screening can have benefits and harms; it is not the same as evaluating a new symptom, and there is no single routine scan or blood test that reliably screens for every cancer.
How cancer is diagnosed
Diagnosis may involve a history and exam, imaging, laboratory tests, and often a biopsy. Pathology can identify the cancer type and may test biomarkers that guide treatment. Symptoms, screening results, tumor markers, or online stories alone cannot confirm cancer.
Learn about this story’s cancer topic
A public story may encourage questions, but it should not be used to estimate your risk or choose testing. Contact a healthcare professional about a persistent or concerning change. Seek urgent care for severe or rapidly worsening symptoms.