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Data analyzed by

State Health Compare

Premature deaths: Number of years of potential life lost prior to age 75 per 100,000 population

Measure Overview

Mortality data can reveal key insights into population and public health, illuminating trends in causes of death and variation across different subpopulations. 

Each year, the U.S. records more than one million deaths of Americans under the age of 75—approximately the age of life expectancy at birth. These deaths, generally considered premature deaths because they occur prior to a person reaching life expectancy, stem from a number of common causes, including cancer, heart disease, accidents, and suicide. These deaths can have far-reaching public health and economic consequences, such as psychological distress and financial insecurity experienced by surviving family members and loved ones. 

Additionally, since many premature deaths may be preventable through behavioral and lifestyle changes (e.g., smoking cessation), health care services (e.g., diagnosis and treatment of chronic conditions), or other targeted interventions (e.g., suicide prevention), monitoring data on premature deaths can help to develop lifesaving public health strategies, as well as shedding light on emerging public health threats or illustrating successful efforts to save lives. 

Premature Deaths Data by State and More: Breakdowns and Data Source 


State Health Compare provides annual, state-level estimates of premature deaths as the number of years of potential life lost prior to age 75 per 100,000 people using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Web-Based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS). 

This measure can be broken down by race/ethnicity.

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