Mortality Rates in Vermont

• Vermont Population: 623,989 (2nd lowest)
• Population Density: 217.52 per square mile (14th most dense)
• Median Age:  43.0 (3rd oldest)
• Deaths Per Year:  6,027
• Annual Deaths Per 100,000: 962.3
• Life Expectancy at Birth:  79.3
• Fertility Rate (births per 1,000 women age 15-44):  46.8 (50th highest rate)

Leading Causes of Death in Vermont

Population Statistics

Vermont has the 2nd lowest population among U.S. states (behind only Wyoming) but is the 14^th most densely populated state. Vermont has the nation’s lowest fertility rate, and—between 2010 and 2019—Vermont lost 0.3% of its population. Vermont’s rate of racial and ethnic diversity is the nation’s 2^nd lowest (behind Maine).

With a median age of 43.0, Vermont ranks as the nation’s 3^rd oldest state (behind Maine and New Hampshire and tied with West Virginia).

Vermont’s annual rate of mortality per 100,000 population is 17^th highest in the U.S. and nearly 100 deaths higher than the overall national rate of 869.7. When adjusted for age, though, Vermont’s overall mortality rate is 11^th

Health Conditions

Vermont is among the states with the lowest rates of multiple health-related causes of death—including liver disease (9^th lowest), stroke (7^th), blood poisoning illnesses (4^th), and diabetes (2^nd behind only Massachusetts). With just 3.6 deaths per 100,000, Vermont has the nation’s lowest rate of kidney disease deaths. However, Vermont has the nation’s 4^th highest rate of death due to high blood pressure (tied with West Virginia, behind only Mississippi, California, and North Dakota).

All of which has led us to find here at IBUSA that many residents of Vermont will likely be able to qualify for a no medical exam term life insurance policy given the relative health of this states population, and for those that won’t be able to qualify for such a policy, fully underwriten life insurance policies and guaranteed issue life insurance policies may still be an option.

Lifestyle Choices

Adults in Vermont have the country’s 5^th and 10^th lowest rates of obesity and smoking, respectively.

Homicide and Suicide

Vermont consistently has the fewest annual homicides of any U.S. state. In most years, Vermont’s homicide rate per 100,000 population is effectively zero. Vermont’s suicide rate is about 15% above the overall national rate.

Covid

At 16.2 per 100,000, Vermont’s COVID-19 death rate for 2020 was the nation’s lowest. Through August, 2021, Vermont’s COVID death rate was 2^nd lowest (behind Hawaii).

Workplace

With 3.2 occupational deaths per 100,000 workers, Vermont ranks as the most dangerous state for worker in the Northeast.

Accidental Causes 

At 26.3 deaths per 100,000 population, Vermont’s rate of death due to accidental fall is the nation’s 3^rd highest (behind only Wisconsin and Maine).  For this reason, we’ll commonly recommend that many of our clients consider purchasing an accidental death policy if they don’t have enough traditional life insurance coverage in place.

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.

McCann, Adam. Most and Least Diverse States in America (WalletHub.com, Sept. 9, 2020).

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, 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).

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. 11, 2021).

Natl. Safety Council, Work Deaths by State (2019).

Natl. Safety Council, State Overview Table: 2019 (preventable-injury-related death rates per 100,000 population by state of residence, United States, 2019).