United States drug overdose death rates and totals over time explained

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has data on drug overdose death rates and totals. Around 1,106,900 US residents died from drug overdoses from 1968 to 2020, around 932,400 from 1999 through 2020 and around 93,700 in 2020. Of every 100,000 people in 2020 in the US, drugs killed 28. Opioids were involved in around 80,400 of the around 109,200 deaths in 2021. Synthetic opioids other than methadone (primarily fentanyl) were involved with 70,601 deaths in 2021. Around 111,000 people died in 2022. Around 108,300 in 2023.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Around 105,400 people died in the 12-month period ending February 29, 2024, at a rate of 288 deaths per day. That is 31.4 deaths per 100,000 US residents, using the population at the midpoint of that period.^{[4] [5]}

1968–2022

The numbers at the source for the table below are continually updated. So the numbers in the table below may be slightly different.^[1] 2021 was a turning point in US history with over 100,000 deaths.^[6]

• Rates below are per 100,000.
• Population is for July 1 residents.
• Rate (by itself) is Age adjusted.
• Total (at bottom) is 1,106,859 total deaths for 1968–2020.

1968–2020 US drug overdose deaths.

Year	Deaths	Population	Crude rate	Rate
1968	5,033	199,533,564	2.5	2.8
1969	6,006	201,568,206	3.0	3.3
1970	7,101	203,458,035	3.5	3.8
1971	6,771	206,782,970	3.3	3.5
1972	6,622	209,237,411	3.2	3.4
1973	6,413	211,361,965	3.0	3.2
1974	6,449	213,436,958	3.0	3.2
1975	7,145	215,457,198	3.3	3.4
1976	6,765	217,615,788	3.1	3.2
1977	6,130	219,808,632	2.8	2.9
1978	5,506	222,102,279	2.5	2.6
1979	2,544	224,635,398	1.1	1.1
1980	2,492	226,624,371	1.1	1.1
1981	2,668	229,487,512	1.2	1.2
1982	2,862	231,701,425	1.2	1.2
1983	2,866	233,781,743	1.2	1.2
1984	3,266	235,922,142	1.4	1.3
1985	3,612	238,005,715	1.5	1.5
1986	4,187	240,189,882	1.7	1.7
1987	3,907	242,395,034	1.6	1.6
1988	4,865	244,651,961	2.0	2.0
1989	5,035	247,001,762	2.0	2.0
1990	4,506	248,922,111	1.8	1.8
1991	5,215	253,088,068	2.1	2.0
1992	5,951	256,606,463	2.3	2.3
1993	7,382	260,024,637	2.8	2.8
1994	7,828	263,241,475	3.0	3.0
1995	8,000	266,386,596	3.0	3.0
1996	8,431	269,540,779	3.1	3.1
1997	9,099	272,776,678	3.3	3.3
1998	9,838	276,032,848	3.6	3.6
1999	16,849	279,040,168	6.0	6.1
2000	17,415	281,421,906	6.2	6.2
2001	19,394	284,968,955	6.8	6.8
2002	23,518	287,625,193	8.2	8.2
2003	25,785	290,107,933	8.9	8.9
2004	27,424	292,805,298	9.4	9.4
2005	29,813	295,516,599	10.1	10.1
2006	34,425	298,379,912	11.5	11.5
2007	36,010	301,231,207	12.0	11.9
2008	36,450	304,093,966	12.0	11.9
2009	37,004	306,771,529	12.1	11.9
2010	38,329	308,745,538	12.4	12.3
2011	41,340	311,591,917	13.3	13.2
2012	41,502	313,914,040	13.2	13.1
2013	43,982	316,128,839	13.9	13.8
2014	47,055	318,857,056	14.8	14.7
2015	52,404	321,418,820	16.3	16.3
2016	63,632	323,127,513	19.7	19.8
2017	70,237	325,719,178	21.6	21.7
2018	67,367	327,167,434	20.6	20.7
2019	70,630	328,239,523	21.5	21.6
2020	91,799	329,484,123	27.9	28.3
Total	style=text-align:right	1,106,859

Death rates by state and year

Asterisks (*) indicate Health in STATE or Healthcare in STATE links in table below.

Drug overdose death rates per 100,000 population by state.

State	1999	2005	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
	3.9	6.3	15.2	15.7	16.2	18	16.6	16.3	22.3	30.1
	7.5	11.4	16.8	16	16.8	20.2	14.6	17.8	22	35.6
	10.6	14.1	12.6	19	20.3	22.2	23.8	26.8	35.8	38.7
	4.4	10.1	18.2	13.8	14	15.5	15.7	13.5	19.1	22.3
	8.1	9	11.1	11.3	11.2	11.7	12.8	15	21.8	26.6
	8	12.7	16.3	15.4	16.6	17.6	16.8	18	24.9	31.4
	9	8.5	17.6	22.1	27.4	30.9	30.7	34.7	39.1	42.3
	6.4	7.5	20.9	22	30.8	37	43.8	48	47.3	54
	6.4	13.5	13.2	16.2	23.7	25.1	22.8	25.5	35	37.5
	3.5	8.2	11.9	12.7	13.3	14.7	13.2	13.1	18	23.5
	6.5	9.4	10.9	11.3	12.8	13.8	14.3	15.9	18.3	17.3
	5.3	8.1	13.7	14.2	15.2	14.4	14.6	15.1	15.9	19
	6.7	8.4	13.1	14.1	18.9	21.6	21.3	21.9	28.1	29
	3.2	9.8	18.2	19.5	24	29.4	25.6	26.6	36.7	43
	1.9	4.8	8.8	10.3	10.6	11.5	9.6	11.5	14.3	15.3
	3.4	9.1	11.7	11.8	11.1	11.8	12.4	14.3	17.4	24.3
	4.9	15.3	24.7	29.9	33.5	37.2	30.9	32.5	49.2	55.6
	4.3	14.7	16.9	19	21.8	24.5	25.4	28.3	42.7	55.9
	5.3	12.4	16.8	21.2	28.7	34.4	27.9	29.9	39.7	47.1
	11.4	11.4	17.4	20.9	33.2	36.3	37.2	38.2	44.6	42.8
	7.5	12	19	25.7	33	31.8	32.8	32.1	33.9	36.8
	4.6	9.8	18	20.4	24.4	27.8	26.6	24.4	28.6	31.5
	2.8	5.4	9.6	10.6	12.5	13.3	11.5	14.2	19	24.5
	3.2	8.8	11.6	12.3	12.1	12.2	10.8	13.6	21.1	28.4
	5	10.7	18.2	17.9	23.6	23.4	27.5	26.9	32.1	36.5
	4.6	10.1	12.4	13.8	11.7	11.7	12.2	14.1	15.6	19.5
	2.3	5	7.2	6.9	6.4	8.1	7.4	8.7	11.3	11.4
	11.5	18.7	18.4	20.4	21.7	21.6	21.2	20.1	26	29.2
	4.3	10.7	26.2	34.3	39	37	35.8	32	30.3	32.3
	6.5	9.4	14	16.3	23.2	30	33.1	31.7	32.1	32.4
	15	20.1	27.3	25.3	25.2	24.8	26.7	30.2	39	51.6
	5	4.8	11.3	13.6	18	19.4	18.4	18.2	25.4	28.7
	4.6	11.4	13.8	15.8	19.7	24.1	22.4	22.3	30.9	39.2
	0	0	6.3	8.6	10.6	9.2	10.2	11.4	15.6	17.2
	4.2	10.9	24.6	29.9	39.1	46.3	35.9	38.3	47.2	48.1
	5.4	13.8	20.3	19	21.5	20.1	18.4	16.7	19.4	24.4
	6.1	10.4	12.8	12	11.9	12.4	12.6	14	18.7	26.8
	8.1	13.2	21.9	26.3	37.9	44.3	36.1	35.6	42.4	43.2
	5.5	14.3	23.4	28.2	30.8	31	30.1	29.5	38.2	41.7
	3.7	9.9	14.4	15.7	18.1	20.5	22.6	22.7	34.9	42.8
	0	5.5	7.8	8.4	8.4	8.5	6.9	10.5	10.3	12.6
	6.1	14.5	19.5	22.2	24.5	26.6	27.5	31.2	45.6	56.6
	5.4	8.5	9.7	9.4	10.1	10.5	10.4	10.8	14.1	16.8
	10.6	19.3	22.4	23.4	22.4	22.3	21.2	18.9	20.5	21.1
	4.7	8.5	13.9	16.7	22.2	23.2	26.6	23.8	32.9	42.3
	5	7.5	11.7	12.4	16.7	17.9	17.1	18.3	26.6	30.5
	9.3	13	13.3	14.7	14.5	15.2	14.8	15.8	22	28.1
	4.1	10.5	35.5	41.5	52	57.8	51.5	52.8	81.4	90.9
	4	9.3	15.1	15.5	19.3	21.2	19.2	21.1	27.7	31.6
	4.1	4.9	19.4	16.4	17.6	12.2	11.1	14.1	17.4	18.9

Death counts by state over time

Overall US totals by year, followed by breakdown by state by year.^[2]

!States!1999!2005!2014!2015!2016

Deaths	16,801	29,736	46,959	52,279	63,363

!States!2017!2018!2019!2020!2021

Deaths	69,927	67,113	70,319	91,375	106,249

State links below are "Category:Health in STATE" links. See overall category.

Drug overdose deaths by state over time.^[2]

State	1999	2005	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
	169	283	723	736	756	835	775	768	1,029	1,408
	46	79	124	122	128	147	110	132	160	260
	511	794	356	1,274	1,382	1,532	1,670	1,907	2,550	2,730
	113	269	1,211	392	401	446	444	388	546	637
	2,662	3,214	4,521	4,659	4,654	4,868	5,348	6,198	8,908	10,901
	349	608	899	869	942	1,015	995	1,079	1,492	1,887
	310	295	623	800	971	1,072	1,069	1,214	1,371	1,552
	50	62	189	198	282	338	401	435	444	513
	997	2,371	2,634	3,228	4,728	5,088	4,698	5,268	7,231	7,827
	283	738	1,206	1,302	1,394	1,537	1,404	1,408	1,916	2,500
	80	126	157	169	191	203	213	242	274	269
	64	109	212	218	243	236	250	265	287	354
	825	1,067	1,705	1,835	2,411	2,778	2,722	2,790	3,549	3,762
	191	610	1,172	1,245	1,526	1,852	1,629	1,699	2,321	2,811
	53	141	264	309	314	341	287	352	432	475
	89	241	332	329	313	333	345	403	490	680
	197	638	1,077	1,273	1,419	1,566	1,315	1,380	2,083	2,381
	188	661	777	861	996	1,108	1,140	1,267	1,896	2,463
	67	163	216	269	353	424	345	371	496	611
	629	656	1,070	1,285	2,044	2,247	2,324	2,369	2,771	2,737
	488	780	1,289	1,724	2,227	2,168	2,241	2,210	2,302	2,585
	460	985	1,762	1,980	2,347	2,694	2,591	2,385	2,759	3,089
	136	282	517	581	672	733	636	792	1,050	1,356
	87	248	336	351	352	354	310	394	586	787
	276	608	1,067	1,066	1,371	1,367	1,610	1,583	1,875	2,155
	41	96	125	138	119	119	125	143	162	199
	39	86	125	126	120	152	138	161	214	214
	227	457	545	619	665	676	688	647	832	949
	54	142	334	422	481	467	452	407	393	441
	557	823	1,253	1,454	2,056	2,685	2,900	2,805	2,840	3,056
	266	373	547	501	500	493	537	599	784	1,052
	959	944	2,300	2,754	3,638	3,921	3,697	3,617	4,965	5,842
	366	1,000	1,358	1,567	1,956	2,414	2,259	2,266	3,146	3,981
	12	12	43	61	77	68	70	82	114	124
	467	1,243	2,744	3,310	4,329	5,111	3,980	4,251	5,204	5,397
	178	478	777	725	813	775	716	645	762	960
	210	386	522	505	506	530	547	615	803	1,171
	990	1,613	2,732	3,264	4,627	5,388	4,415	4,377	5,168	5,449
	58	156	247	310	326	320	317	307	397	455
	147	427	701	761	879	1,008	1,125	1,127	1,739	2,138
	17	40	63	65	69	73	57	86	83	105
	344	872	1,269	1,457	1,630	1,776	1,823	2,089	3,034	3,813
	1,087	1,910	2,601	2,588	2,831	2,989	3,005	3,136	4,172	4,984
	205	438	603	646	635	650	624	571	622	662
	29	53	83	99	125	134	153	133	190	252
	366	581	980	1,039	1,405	1,507	1,448	1,547	2,240	2,626
	555	850	979	1,094	1,102	1,169	1,164	1,259	1,733	2,264
	75	184	627	725	884	974	856	870	1,330	1,501
	212	518	853	878	1,074	1,177	1,079	1,201	1,531	1,775
	20	26	109	96	99	69	66	79	99	109

For convenience, and as a geographic aid, the "Category:Health in STATE" links are also in this map. Click on any state.

File:US state abbrev map.png|leftpoly 62 5 102 15 96 47 81 44 69 44 61 42 54 42 52 35 46 32 46 9 poly 45 32 24 70 29 75 35 77 63 85 87 90 92 67 91 65 91 60 94 60 99 51 97 47 84 44 69 44 61 43 54 42 52 36 poly 27 75 15 102 30 162 43 191 86 195 86 187 91 182 93 177 54 116 62 85 poly 4 227 75 227 76 279 3 278 poly 78 227 151 227 196 295 197 323 4 324 4 281 77 282 poly 111 17 103 16 96 47 99 52 94 61 91 65 86 90 133 99 138 71 136 68 133 69 123 70 118 55 114 55 118 44 116 44 110 35 107 25 circle 403 30 10 circle 428 30 11 circle 484 72 11 circle 484 94 9 circle 484 117 10 circle 485 137 10 circle 485 159 10 circle 485 182 11 circle 484 202 9 poly 196 29 157 25 109 17 108 27 110 37 117 45 114 55 119 54 122 71 137 70 139 66 192 73 poly 245 31 198 30 194 63 250 65 250 59 poly 252 103 252 72 248 68 251 65 194 62 191 95 236 98 239 101 241 99 246 99 poly 64 86 110 95 97 160 93 158 91 169 55 116 poly 110 95 133 99 132 109 148 111 142 157 100 149 poly 142 155 99 149 98 156 95 159 91 158 93 175 86 194 84 197 115 215 134 218 poly 193 73 138 67 132 109 190 116 poly 205 118 148 112 143 155 203 162 poly 144 156 135 217 142 217 144 213 158 214 159 212 191 216 196 163 poly 251 103 247 99 239 99 235 97 191 96 189 116 205 118 204 129 261 130 257 124 poly 262 130 206 130 203 162 266 163 267 139 263 136 266 133 poly 195 162 195 167 220 167 220 189 231 195 236 195 240 198 251 198 263 198 270 201 268 176 268 164 poly 243 284 225 279 220 264 209 246 204 241 196 240 191 242 187 249 178 245 175 242 170 228 158 215 158 213 190 217 195 168 219 169 219 189 228 193 236 196 243 196 262 197 269 200 273 201 275 218 279 230 277 244 poly 302 40 291 39 288 40 279 36 267 35 262 33 246 32 251 63 248 69 253 74 252 91 294 91 291 85 280 78 280 70 279 67 282 62 283 54 poly 293 92 251 92 251 101 258 123 291 123 292 125 297 120 296 113 301 112 303 106 298 100 295 100 poly 311 172 313 165 314 166 315 160 313 160 310 153 303 148 305 141 300 140 300 136 293 129 293 123 258 124 262 131 265 132 262 136 266 140 268 169 305 168 306 172 poly 308 183 312 173 306 173 308 167 268 170 269 201 273 201 273 207 300 206 300 202 299 198 311 173 poly 314 233 319 238 327 248 320 252 277 244 278 228 275 220 272 207 300 207 303 216 298 228 313 228 poly 356 104 363 90 352 65 345 53 316 45 299 56 302 60 316 63 320 70 322 71 326 67 331 105 poly 299 56 294 57 294 54 284 57 283 64 279 69 281 77 293 87 296 99 301 102 320 100 325 69 321 71 318 66 318 64 301 59 poly 325 109 326 137 328 141 324 151 323 157 320 156 321 160 315 159 314 161 311 161 312 153 303 148 305 141 299 139 299 135 292 127 296 118 296 115 301 111 302 106 300 102 298 100 321 100 poly 346 104 331 107 323 109 327 138 324 151 336 151 338 146 341 149 345 140 350 138 poly 380 97 371 105 364 107 360 105 346 106 350 134 354 135 358 138 367 137 371 140 373 134 375 134 376 130 382 125 382 111 poly 383 112 382 125 376 129 375 133 373 133 372 137 370 140 370 143 378 151 381 151 381 150 384 150 390 147 392 141 394 135 398 135 400 130 403 126 403 123 405 123 406 124 408 124 408 122 406 120 403 121 395 126 393 121 393 121 389 123 385 123 poly 370 143 370 140 366 137 363 138 358 138 355 136 350 134 350 137 345 140 341 148 338 146 336 150 324 151 323 156 320 156 320 159 316 159 315 165 313 167 321 167 325 165 333 164 343 163 351 162 362 162 365 160 370 156 373 153 376 150 poly 381 158 372 159 372 160 364 160 364 161 356 162 326 165 325 166 313 167 312 174 308 184 324 183 326 182 360 179 360 176 373 167 381 161 poly 326 183 322 183 315 184 306 184 300 196 300 207 302 214 298 224 297 228 310 228 311 227 314 227 315 233 317 236 328 235 327 226 326 219 poly 349 181 326 182 326 219 328 234 332 238 340 234 335 225 359 224 358 217 357 207 348 181 326 182 poly 369 178 363 179 360 179 355 179 354 180 348 180 357 207 359 223 361 226 384 225 386 227 388 227 387 222 393 222 395 206 388 197 374 184 369 182 poly 395 222 387 222 387 226 385 227 385 225 367 226 360 226 358 223 354 224 347 225 335 226 340 234 360 241 380 244 385 267 400 281 392 292 400 293 423 281 412 248 poly 413 184 402 175 397 175 397 176 392 176 389 173 380 173 369 178 369 182 374 184 388 198 393 206 397 206 414 190 poly 411 154 404 155 387 158 381 158 380 161 372 167 362 174 359 177 359 179 364 179 369 178 378 174 385 173 389 173 392 176 397 176 397 175 402 175 413 183 416 186 440 164 434 151 429 150 420 152 poly 420 134 416 133 414 132 414 129 415 129 415 126 412 125 410 124 408 123 408 124 405 124 404 123 403 124 403 126 399 131 398 134 394 135 390 147 384 150 381 150 380 151 378 151 376 149 370 154 370 156 364 160 370 160 374 159 380 158 388 158 411 154 429 150 432 148 436 133 433 131 428 134 poly 423 115 416 116 415 117 411 118 406 120 410 124 413 125 414 123 416 124 415 126 414 132 419 134 422 134 428 134 436 129 428 129 425 122 423 116 poly 405 120 393 121 394 125 395 126 poly 413 123 413 126 416 126 416 124 414 123 poly 426 114 423 115 427 128 436 129 428 120 poly 452 95 441 104 436 102 435 98 427 96 422 90 387 97 385 95 391 90 392 87 389 83 394 80 402 80 404 79 410 76 409 68 412 65 416 59 418 57 429 54 431 61 433 69 436 78 436 90 437 97 439 98 448 94 poly 424 114 421 116 416 116 407 119 401 120 394 121 391 122 386 122 385 116 382 99 386 95 388 97 422 90 427 96 426 105 430 109 428 112 427 114 poly 427 96 426 104 430 108 430 110 426 114 427 118 428 120 432 124 441 117 441 105 436 102 435 98 poly 452 91 451 88 450 86 450 83 448 83 446 84 442 85 437 85 437 89 438 94 437 96 439 98 441 96 445 94 poly 452 90 455 91 454 86 453 82 450 83 451 88 poly 458 72 452 73 452 74 447 76 441 77 436 79 436 86 436 89 438 85 444 88 448 83 450 83 452 82 457 90 468 84 467 78 poly 455 69 455 73 452 73 452 74 447 75 448 76 441 76 435 62 442 64 442 62 441 61 441 59 443 59 443 51 443 47 446 47 452 66 456 69 poly 443 51 439 51 436 52 429 54 431 65 434 72 436 79 447 72 441 65 442 64 442 61 441 60 441 59 443 59 443 57 444 56 444 54 poly 455 68 458 68 479 46 477 39 465 19 452 19 448 32 447 42 446 47 450 61 desc bottom-left

Timeline by drug

Concerning the data in the charts below (in this section and the following sections) deaths from the various drugs add up to more than the yearly overdose death total because multiple drugs are involved in many of the deaths.

Opioid charts

Opioids were involved in around 80,400 of the around 106,700 deaths in 2021. See map higher up for states with the highest overdose death rates.

Comparisons to other countries in Europe

There were around 68,700 drug overdose deaths in the United States in 2018. That is a rate of 210 deaths per million residents.^{[4] [5]} Compare that rate to the 2018 rates of the European countries in the first chart below.

• Location links below are "Healthcare in LOCATION" links.

Drug overdose deaths per year by European country.

Location	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
	235	191	196	184	154
			168	152	148
	20	24	11	24	18
	77	99	97	85	65
	10	6	5	12	16
	64	58	42	39	42
		197	202	183	239
	39	33	27	39	110
	287	258	234	261	200
					417
	1,826	1,581	1,398	1,276	1,272
			230	274	255
	42	48	43	33	33
					235
	293	309	374	336	297
	17	21	12	20	22
	62	47	52	59	83
	5	6	8	4	8
	5			3	5
	298	295	252	224	262
	241	324	275	286	247
		229	212	199	202
		63	72	55	51
	30	33	45	26	32
	28	37	34	32	19
	65	70	74	59	47
		774	546	450	437
	450	524	555	583	643
		314	342	657	941
					3,284

See also

• List of deaths from drug overdose and intoxication
• Adulterants
• Alcohol intoxication
• Diseases of despair
• Drug interactions
• Responsible drug use

Further reading

• Opioid Overdose Deaths by Race/Ethnicity. Kaiser Family Foundation.
• Opioid Overdose Deaths by Type of Opioid. Kaiser Family Foundation.

Notes and References

1. Data is from these saved tables from CDC Wonder at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. The tables have totals, rates, and US populations per year. The numbers are continually updated: "This dataset has been updated since this request was saved, which could lead to differences in results." So the numbers in the table at the source may be slightly different.
   • 1968-1978 data: Compressed Mortality File 1968-1978. CDC WONDER Online Database, compiled from Compressed Mortality File CMF 1968-1988, Series 20, No. 2A, 2000. Accessed at http://wonder.cdc.gov/cmf-icd8.html
   • 1979-1998 data: Compressed Mortality File 1979-1998. CDC WONDER On-line Database, compiled from Compressed Mortality File CMF 1968-1988, Series 20, No. 2A, 2000 and CMF 1989-1998, Series 20, No. 2E, 2003. Accessed at http://wonder.cdc.gov/cmf-icd9.html
   • 1999-2020 data: Multiple Cause of Death, 1999-2020 Results. CDC WONDER Online Database. Data are from the Multiple Cause of Death Files, 1999-2020, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. Accessed at http://wonder.cdc.gov/mcd-icd10.html
2. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/drug_poisoning_mortality/drug_poisoning.htm Drug Overdose Mortality by State
3. https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/deaths/index.html Death Rate Maps & Graphs | Drug Overdose
4. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm Products - Vital Statistics Rapid Release - Provisional Drug Overdose Data
5. https://www.multpl.com/united-states-population/table/by-month US Population by Month
6. News: Yousif . Nadine . How the fentanyl crisis' fourth wave has hit every corner of the US . . September 17, 2023.