Mortality in the United States, 2023.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional national vital statistics surveillance report
PubMed 39819663 · doi:10.15620/cdc/170564
What was done
The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) analyzed final 2023 U.S. mortality data collected from death certificates filed across all 50 states and the District of Columbia via the National Vital Statistics System. The report evaluated life expectancy, age-adjusted death rates, and age-specific death rates compared to 2022, stratified by demographic variables including sex, age, race, and Hispanic origin.
What was found
Life expectancy for the U.S. population in 2023 was 78.4 years, an increase of 0.9 years from 2022. The age-adjusted death rate decreased by 6.0% from 798.8 deaths per 100,000 standard population in 2022 to 750.5 in 2023. Age-specific death rates decreased from 2022 to 2023 for all age groups 5 years and older.
Why it matters
This report establishes the definitive federal benchmark for U.S. mortality in 2023, documenting broad-based decreases in mortality rates and a rebound in national life expectancy.
Limits
The abstract reports aggregate surveillance data without presenting absolute death counts, confidence intervals, or specific cause-of-death breakdowns. Accuracy is dependent on state-level death certification practices, and the ecological design precludes individual-level causal inference.
Cited by
- supports The average lifespan in the United States is approximately 79 years.