Mortality Rates in Kansas
- Kansas Population: 2,913,314 (35th highest)
- Population Density: 35.64 per square mile (41st most dense)
- Median Age: 37.3 (8th youngest)
- Deaths Per Year: 27,537
- Annual Deaths Per 100,000: 945.8
- Life Expectancy at Birth: 78 years
- Fertility Rate (births per 1,000 women age 15-44): 631 (12th highest rate)
Leading Causes of Death in Kansas
| Cause of Death | Deaths Per Year | Deaths Per 100,000 | National Rank |
| Heart Disease
|
6,140 | 166 | 18th |
| Cancer
|
5,619 | 153.8 | 15th |
| Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases (e.g., emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma)
|
1,780 | 48 | 12th |
| Accidents (includes vehicle accidents)
|
1,524 | 48 | 33rd |
| Stroke
|
1,303 | 34.8 | 29th |
| Diabetes
|
884 | 24.4 | 14th |
| Alzheimer’s Disease
|
839 | 21.9 | 40th |
| Kidney Disease (nephritis, nephrosis, nephrotic syndrome)
|
561 | 15.2 | 16th |
| Pneumonia + Flu
|
525 | 14 | 14th |
| Liver Disease / Cirrhosis
|
349 | 10.6 | 32nd |
| Septicemia
|
320 | 8.8 | 28th |
| Suicide
|
523 | 18.2 | 16th |
| Drug Overdose
|
403 | 14.3 | 38th |
| Homicide
|
137 | 4.9 | 27th |
Population Statistics
Kansas has the 10th lowest population density among U.S. states. Between 2010 and 2019, the population of Kansas grew at a rate of 2.1%, which was one-third of the overall national rate of 6.3%.
With a median age of 37.2, Kansas is the nation’s 8th youngest state and has the 12th highest fertility rate. This state alone probably accounts for why so many applicants from Kansas choose ot apply for a no medical exam life insurance policy versus a traditional life insurance policy which will require one to provide both a blood and urine sample.
At 78.0 years, Kansas’s average life expectancy is tied with Alaska for 18th
Kansas is close to the national average is most major causes of death—only significantly higher in deaths due to chronic respiratory illness and significantly lower in Alzheimer’s deaths.
Firearms and Homicide Rates
Kansas has a firearm mortality rate of 13.7 per 100,000—21st highest among U.S. states. Kansas’s homicide rate of 4.9 per 100,000 is 24th lowest and about 15% below the overall rate nationally.
Suicide and Drug Use
With 18.2 suicides per 100,000, Kansas has the nation’s 16th highest suicide rate, and suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in Kansas. Kansas has the nation’s 13th lowest rate of drug overdose deaths—with 14.3 per 100,000.
Covid
Kansas’s 182 COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 through August, 2021, is slightly below the national rate and tied with Florida for 24th
Workplace
Kansas averages around 5.2 employment-related deaths per 100,000 workers annually. Transportation accidents account for about 40% of the state’s work-related deaths.
Obesity Rates
Around 35.2% of Kansas adults qualified as obese in 2019—making Kansas the 12th most obese state.
Sources:
U.S. Dept of Ag., Economic Research Service, https://data.ers.usda.gov/reports.aspx?ID=17827 (citing U.S. Census Bureau, 2019).
Statista, Population Density in the U.S. by Federal States Including District of Columbia in 2020 (2020).
StatsAmerica (Ind. Bus. Research Center), Median Age in 2019.
CDC, Natl. Center for Health Statistics, State & Territorial Data (2018 – 2019).
CDC, Natl. Center for Health Statistics, Life Expectancy at Birth by State (2018).
CDC, Natl. Center for Health Statistics, Fertility Rates by State (2019).
CDC, Natl. Center for Health Statistics, Stats of the States (2021).
New York Times, Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count (Aug. 4, 2021).
Statista, Percentage of Adults with Obesity in the United States as of 2019 (2019).
United Health Foundation, America’s Health Rankings, 2020 Annual Report: Kansas.
