Mortality in Pennsylvania

• Pennsylvania Population: 12,801,989 (5th highest)
• Population Density: 285.73 per square mile (9th most dense)
• Median Age:  40.9 (8th oldest)
• Deaths Per Year:  134,702
• Annual Deaths Per 100,000: 1,051.8
• Life Expectancy at Birth: 78.1
• Fertility Rate (births per 1,000 women age 15-44):  56.3 (12th lowest rate)

Leading Causes of Death in Pennsylvania

Population Statistics

Pennsylvania has the nation’s 5^th largest population and 9^th highest population density. Between 2010 and 2019, Pennsylvania’s population grew at a rate of 0.8%, which was the nation’s 8^th lowest rate.

With a median age of 40.9 years, Pennsylvania is the nation’s 8^th oldest state, and Pennsylvania’s fertility rate is the nation’s 12^th

Pennsylvania’s overall mortality rate of 1,051.8 deaths per 100,000 population is the 8^th highest rate among U.S. states. When adjusted for population age, Pennsylvania’s mortality rate is 19^th highest and still well-above the national rate.

Heath Conditions

Pennsylvania has the nation’s 5^th and 6^th lowest rates of death due to liver disease and Alzheimer’s, respectively, and is 9^th lowest for hypertension. Pennsylvania’s rates of mortality due to heart disease, kidney disease, and septicemia (blood poisoning illnesses) are well-above the overall rates nationally.

For these reasons and more, we here at IBUSA will typically try to help applicants from Pennsylvania first qualify  for term life insurance with no exam.

For those that won’t be able to qualify for such a policy, getting life insurance with a top company requiring a medical exam is still a viable option.

Finally, some people with pre-existing conditions may need to consider final expense insurance as an alternative.

Homicide, Suicide and Firearms

Pennsylvania has the nation’s 19^th highest homicide rate and 14^th lowest suicide rate. For all firearm-related mortality, Pennsylvania’s rate of 11.7 deaths per 100,000 is tied with Virginia for 18^th

Accidental Deaths

Pennsylvania has the nation’s 12^th highest rate of deaths due to preventable accidents and is well-above the national rates for deaths due to poisoning, choking, and falls.  For these reason alone we’ll often recommend that our clients at least consider purchasing an additional accidental death policy as a way to supplement any traditional life insurance coverage they may already have.

We should not however, that Pennsylvania does rank well below the national rate for vehicle deaths.

Drug Overdose

Pennsylvania’s drug overdose death rate of 35.6 per 100,000 is the nation’s 5^th Pennsylvania borders all 4 states with higher overdose rates—West Virginia, Delaware, Ohio, and Maryland.

Workplace

With just 2.6 occupational deaths per 100,000 workers, Pennsylvania tied Minnesota for 9^th safest state in which to work in 2019.

Covid

For 2020, Pennsylvania’s 88.4 COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 population was the nation’s 21^st highest rate. Through August, 2021, the state’s rate rose to 11^th highest, at 219 deaths per 100,000.

Anomaly

Pennsylvania ranks 2^nd worst for air pollution and 4^th worst for housing with lead risk.

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, Provisional Death Rates for COVID-19 (2020).

New York Times, Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count (Aug. 12, 2021).

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, Work Deaths by State (2019).

United Health Foundation, America’s Health Rankings, 2020 Annual Report: Pennsylvania.