Mortality Rates in Massachusetts
- Massachusetts Population: 6,892,503 (15th highest)
- Population Density: 883.68 per square mile (2nd most dense)
- Median Age: 39.7 (17th oldest)
- Deaths Per Year: 59,152
- Annual Deaths Per 100,000: 857.0
- Life Expectancy at Birth: 80.1
- Fertility Rate (births per 1,000 women age 15-44): 49.6 (4th lowest rate)
Leading Causes of Death in Massachusetts
| Cause of Death | Deaths Per Year | Deaths Per 100,000 | National Rank |
| Cancer
|
12,582 | 139.9 | 38th |
| Heart Disease
|
11,761 | 127.2 | 48th |
| Accidents (includes vehicle accidents)
|
4,052 | 53.3 | 28th |
| Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases (e.g., emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma)
|
2,839 | 31.2 | 42nd |
| Stroke
|
2,464 | 26.7 | 48th |
| Alzheimer’s Disease
|
1,663 | 17.7 | 48th |
| Diabetes
|
1,383 | 15.3 | 50th |
| Kidney Disease (nephritis, nephrosis, nephrotic syndrome)
|
1,281 | 14 | 20th |
| Pneumonia + Flu
|
1,217 | 13.2 | 21st |
| Septicemia
|
941 | 10.4 | 22nd |
| Liver Disease / Cirrhosis
|
746 | 8.8 | 45th |
| Suicide
|
647 | 8.7 | 48th |
| Drug Overdose
|
2,210 | 32.1 | 8th |
| Homicide
|
157 | 2.3 | 47th |
Population Statistics
Massachusetts is the nation’s 2nd most densely populated state (behind New Jersey). Massachusetts has the 15th highest population but the 4th lowest fertility rate (behind Vermont, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island), and it’s 5.3% rate of population growth from 2010 through 2019 was about 15% below the national average.
Adjusted for age, Massachusetts has the 8th lowest mortality rate among U.S. states, and its unadjusted mortality rate is slightly below the overall national rate. At 80.1 years, Massachusetts’ average life expectancy is 6th The state’s infant mortality rate of 3.9 per 1,000 live births is the nation’s 3rd lowest (behind Vermont and New Hampshire).
Health Conditions
Massachusetts ranks 3rd lowest among U.S. states in deaths due to heart disease (behind Minnesota and Hawaii), stroke (behind New York and Connecticut), and Alzheimer’s (behind New York and Maryland).
Massachusetts has the nation’s lowest rate of diabetes deaths. Of the major causes of death, Massachusetts’ rate is only notably above the national rate for kidney disease and hypertension deaths.
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Firearms and Suicide
With just 2.3 homicides per 100,000 population, Massachusetts has the nation’s 4th lowest homicide rate (behind Vermont, Idaho, and Maine). Massachusetts is 3rd lowest in suicides (behind New Jersey and New York) and has the nation’s lowest rate of firearm-related deaths.
Lifestyle Choices
At 32.1 per 100,000, Massachusetts’ drug overdose death rate is the nation’s 8th Massachusetts also has the nation’s 9th highest rate of excessive drinking but has the 9th and 3rd lowest rates of adult smoking and obesity, respectively.
Driving
With only 5.7 vehicle deaths per 100,000, Massachusetts rates as the safest state for motorists, but Massachusetts has the 7th highest rate of death due to accidental poisoning.
Covid
With 263 deaths per 100,000 through August, 2021, Massachusetts’ COVID-19 mortality rate is the nation’s 3rd highest (behind New Jersey and New York).
Interesting Sidenote
Only Illinois has a lower divorce rate than Massachusetts’ 1.5 divorces per 1,000 population.
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).
Kaiser Family Foundation, Number of Deaths per 100,000 Population (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).
CDC, Natl. Center for Health Statistics, State & Territorial Data (2018 – 2019).
Kaiser Family Foundation, Number of Deaths per 100,000 Population (2019).
CDC, Natl. Center for Health Statistics, Life Expectancy at Birth by State (2018).
New York Times, Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count (Aug. 12, 2021).
CDC, State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation System, Map of Current Cigarette Use Among Adults (2018).
Statista, Percentage of Adults with Obesity in the United States as of 2019 (2019).
Natl. Safety Council, State Overview Table: 2019 (preventable-injury-related death rates per 100,000 population by state of residence, United States, 2019).
Natl. Safety Council, Motor-Vehicle Deaths by State (2019).
United Health Foundation, America’s Health Rankings, 2020 Annual Report: Massachusetts.
