How many Americans die of drug overdoses, and is it rising?

Falling since 2022: final CDC records count 79,384 drug overdose deaths in the United States in 2024, an age-adjusted rate of 23.1 per 100,000, 26.2% below 2023 and below the 2022 peak of 107,941 deaths and 32.6 per 100,000, though above the 16,849 deaths of 1999; CDC's provisional data predict 66,478 deaths in the 12 months ending May 2026, 11.5% fewer than a year earlier.

Choose a figure

Drug overdose deaths, 2024 (final)

79,384

drug overdose deaths, 2024

Moderate trust, 71 of 100 Only one source (NCHS final), so it cannot be checked against another.

Each source by year: drug overdose deaths

Recorded change in how a source reports; hover or focus the ring for details.

Show the data as a table

Year	NCHS Data Briefs, Drug Overdose Deaths in the United States (National Vital Statistics System, final mortality file)
1999	16,849
2000	17,415
2001	19,394
2002	23,518
2003	25,785
2004	27,424
2005	29,813
2006	34,425
2007	36,010
2008	36,450
2009	37,004
2010	38,329
2011	41,340
2012	41,502
2013	43,982
2014	47,055
2015	52,404
2016	63,632
2017	70,237
2018	67,367
2019	70,630
2020	91,799
2021	106,699
2022	107,941
2023	105,007
2024	79,384

What this number counts

Counts: Deaths with drug overdose as the underlying cause, any intent, US residents
Where: United States (50 states and the District of Columbia)
When: Calendar year 2024 (one year, not an average)

The figure from NCHS final, the only source that counts here.

Where the number comes from (1 source)

Source	Figure and year	Definition	Quality	Counts for
NCHS Data Briefs, Drug Overdose Deaths in the United States (National Vital Statistics System, final mortality file)National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · Death and health registersRetrieved 2026-11-02	79,3842024	ICD-10 underlying-cause codes X40-X44, X60-X64, X85 and Y10-Y14: unintentional, suicide, homicide and undetermined intent. Final mortality file. 91.6% of the 2024 deaths were unintentional, 5.6% suicides, 2.7% of undetermined intent and less than 1.0% homicides. Series from the data tables of NCHS Data Briefs 428 (1999-2002), 522 (2003-2023) and 549 (2024); where the briefs overlap their figures agree. Rates reproduced at NCHS's one decimal.	5 of 5 checks Yes: Method and definitions published. NCHS publishes the codes, method and definitions in each Data Brief. Yes: Official statistics or peer-reviewed. Official US vital statistics from the National Vital Statistics System. Yes: Full count or representative sample. Counts all death certificates of US residents in the 50 states and DC. Yes: Raw data downloadable. Data tables are published with each brief and the final mortality files are public. Yes: No known break or quality problem. The same ICD-10 codes apply across 1999-2024, and counts in briefs 428, 457, 491, 522 and 549 agree where they overlap.	100%

Better and more direct sources count for more. A source that only copies another does not count.

NCHS final 100%

NCHS final100%

How the trust score was worked out

Quality40 / 40: How well the sources are made
Agreement15 / 30: Unknown with one source, so set to half
Independence6 / 20: How many separate ways the number was measured
Freshness10 / 10: How recent the newest data is

How the score works

Who reports it, and since when

Which kinds of source measure this number, which years each one published, and where the reporting stops or has holes.

Death and health registers · 1

Single source: nothing to check it against
NCHS final, 1999: The briefs' series starts in 1999 and identifies overdose deaths with ICD-10 underlying-cause codes X40-X44, X60-X64, X85 and Y10-Y14: unintentional, suicide, homicide and undetermined intent. source
NCHS final, 2024: Each year's headline count switches from provisional to final once NCHS closes the file. Final counts are tabulated by residence and limited to US residents; provisional counts are by place of occurrence and include foreign residents, about 400-500 records a year by NCHS's account. For 2024: final 79,384, provisional reported 80,860, provisional predicted 81,313. source

Years each source has a figure here

'00'05'10'15'20'24NCHS final

figure no figure here, inside its range no later figure recorded change

Age-adjusted drug overdose death rate, 2024 (final)

23.1

drug overdose deaths per 100,000 people, age-adjusted, 2024

Moderate trust, 63 of 100 Only one source (NCHS final), so it cannot be checked against another.

Each source by year: drug overdose deaths per 100,000 people, age-adjusted

Recorded change in how a source reports; hover or focus the ring for details.

Show the data as a table

Year	NCHS Data Briefs, Drug Overdose Deaths in the United States (National Vital Statistics System, final mortality file)
1999	6.1
2000	6.2
2001	6.8
2002	8.2
2003	8.9
2004	9.4
2005	10.1
2006	11.5
2007	11.9
2008	11.9
2009	11.9
2010	12.3
2011	13.2
2012	13.1
2013	13.8
2014	14.7
2015	16.3
2016	19.8
2017	21.7
2018	20.7
2019	21.6
2020	28.3
2021	32.4
2022	32.6
2023	31.3
2024	23.1

What this number counts

Counts: Age-adjusted deaths with drug overdose as the underlying cause, per 100,000 standard population
Where: United States (50 states and the District of Columbia)
When: Calendar year 2024 (one year, not an average)

The figure from NCHS final, the only source that counts here.

Where the number comes from (1 source)

Source	Figure and year	Definition	Quality	Counts for
NCHS Data Briefs, Drug Overdose Deaths in the United States (National Vital Statistics System, final mortality file)National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · Death and health registersRetrieved 2026-11-02	23.12024	ICD-10 underlying-cause codes X40-X44, X60-X64, X85 and Y10-Y14: unintentional, suicide, homicide and undetermined intent. Direct method, 2000 US standard population. Published by NCHS at one decimal. Series from the data tables of NCHS Data Briefs 428 (1999-2002), 522 (2003-2023) and 549 (2024); where the briefs overlap their figures agree. Rates reproduced at NCHS's one decimal.	4 of 5 checks Yes: Method and definitions published. NCHS publishes the codes, method and definitions in each Data Brief. Yes: Official statistics or peer-reviewed. Official US vital statistics from the National Vital Statistics System. Yes: Full count or representative sample. Counts all death certificates of US residents in the 50 states and DC. Yes: Raw data downloadable. Data tables are published with each brief and the final mortality files are public. No: No known break or quality problem. The population base changed from 2021 (blended base), a method break noted by NCHS.	100%

Better and more direct sources count for more. A source that only copies another does not count.

NCHS final 100%

NCHS final100%

How the trust score was worked out

Quality32 / 40: How well the sources are made
Agreement15 / 30: Unknown with one source, so set to half
Independence6 / 20: How many separate ways the number was measured
Freshness10 / 10: How recent the newest data is

How the score works

Who reports it, and since when

Which kinds of source measure this number, which years each one published, and where the reporting stops or has holes.

Death and health registers · 1

Single source: nothing to check it against
NCHS final, 1999: The briefs' series starts in 1999 and identifies overdose deaths with ICD-10 underlying-cause codes X40-X44, X60-X64, X85 and Y10-Y14: unintentional, suicide, homicide and undetermined intent. source
NCHS final, 2021: From 2021 NCHS's rates use July 1 population estimates built on the Census Bureau's blended base, instead of the April 1, 2020 census count: Data Briefs 491 (2021-2022), 522 (2021-2023) and 549 (2023-2024) each say so. source

Years each source has a figure here

'00'05'10'15'20'24NCHS final

figure no figure here, inside its range no later figure recorded change

Provisional drug overdose deaths, 12 months ending May 2026 (predicted)

66,478

provisional drug overdose deaths in 12 months, 12 months ending May 2026, data available on 4 October 2026. In the chart, 2015-2025 are 12 months ending December and 2026 is 12 months ending May.

Moderate trust, 63 of 100 Only one source (NCHS predicted), so it cannot be checked against another.

Each source by year: provisional drug overdose deaths in 12 months

Recorded change in how a source reports; hover or focus the ring for details.

Show the data as a table

Year	CDC VSRR Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts, predicted values
2015	53,053
2016	64,557
2017	71,193
2018	68,313
2019	71,740
2020	93,129
2021	108,553
2022	110,393
2023	107,966
2024	81,313
2025	70,735
2026	66,478

What this number counts

Counts: Provisional count of deaths with drug overdose as the underlying cause, including foreign residents, adjusted for reporting delays (NCHS "predicted value")
Where: United States (50 states and the District of Columbia)
When: 12 months ending May 2026, data available on 4 October 2026. In the chart, 2015-2025 are 12 months ending December and 2026 is 12 months ending May. (periods differ by source; see each source)

The figure from NCHS predicted, the only source that counts here.

Where the number comes from (1 source)

Source	Figure and year	Definition	Quality	Counts for
CDC VSRR Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts, predicted valuesNational Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · Model-based estimateRetrieved 2026-11-02	66,4782026	Predicted 66,478, reported 65,351 for the same period. NCHS marks this period: "Underreported due to incomplete data." Tabulated by place of occurrence. NCHS says flat or falling provisional counts can reflect incomplete data, real change or both, and that true trends cannot be confirmed until final data arrive. Raw file: VSRR dataset xkb8-kh2a, updated 14 October 2026 with data available on 4 October 2026. Page: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm	4 of 5 checks Yes: Method and definitions published. NCHS publishes the technical notes, data quality measures and adjustment method on the dashboard page. Yes: Official statistics or peer-reviewed. Official provisional statistics from the National Vital Statistics System. Yes: Full count or representative sample. Covers all death records received for the 50 states and DC by the cutoff date, including foreign residents. Yes: Raw data downloadable. Downloadable as CSV and JSON from data.cdc.gov. No: No known break or quality problem. Provisional: incomplete, revised monthly and, by NCHS's statement, not comparable with final data. Predicted counts are adjusted by a model.	100%

Better and more direct sources count for more. A source that only copies another does not count.

NCHS predicted 100%

NCHS predicted100%

How the trust score was worked out

Quality32 / 40: How well the sources are made
Agreement15 / 30: Unknown with one source, so set to half
Independence6 / 20: How many separate ways the number was measured
Freshness10 / 10: How recent the newest data is

How the score works

Who reports it, and since when

Which kinds of source measure this number, which years each one published, and where the reporting stops or has holes.

Model-based estimate · 1

Single source: nothing to check it against
NCHS predicted, 2015: The national 12-month-ending provisional series starts with January 2015. source
NCHS predicted, 2018: NCHS re-evaluated how long jurisdictions must meet data quality requirements to appear in the drug-class figure, and added states. This affects state figures, not the national count. source
NCHS predicted, 2022: In early 2022 NCHS cut the report's lag from 6 months to 4 months. source
NCHS predicted, 2024: For calendar 2024, provisional reported 80,860 and predicted 81,313 against final 79,384: predicted is 2.4% above final. Final counts cover US residents by residence; provisional counts cover all deaths by place of occurrence and later record updates. source
NCHS predicted, 2025: NCHS's May 2026 release estimated 69,973 deaths in 2025; the dashboard with data available on 4 October 2026 predicts 70,735. Provisional figures are revised monthly. source
NCHS predicted, 2026: As of April 2026 the delay adjustments behind the predicted counts are based on final 2024 data. source
NCHS predicted, 2026: The latest period carries the publisher's note "Underreported due to incomplete data." NCHS also says Oregon has substantial delays resolving pending records. source

Years each source has a figure here

'15'20'25'26NCHS predicted

figure no figure here, inside its range no later figure recorded change

Final drug overdose deaths by drug involved, 1999-2024

Each line is the source that counts most for that group.

Synthetic opioids other than methadone

Psychostimulants with abuse potential

Cocaine

Natural and semisynthetic opioids

Heroin

Methadone

Any opioid

Group	Figure	Year	Trust
Synthetic opioids other than methadone	47,735	2024	63 Moderate
Psychostimulants with abuse potential	28,722	2024	63 Moderate
Cocaine	21,945	2024	63 Moderate
Natural and semisynthetic opioids	7,989	2024	63 Moderate
Heroin	2,743	2024	63 Moderate
Methadone	3,229	2024	63 Moderate
Any opioid	54,045	2024	63 Moderate

Show every year as a table

Year	Synthetic opioids other than methadone	Psychostimulants with abuse potential	Cocaine	Natural and semisynthetic opioids	Heroin	Methadone	Any opioid
1999	730	547	3,822	2,749	1,960	784	8,050
2000	782	578	3,544	2,917	1,842	986	8,407
2001	957	563	3,833	3,479	1,779	1,456	9,496
2002	1,295	941	4,599	4,416	2,089	2,358	11,920
2003	1,400	1,179	5,199	4,867	2,080	2,972	12,940
2004	1,664	1,305	5,443	5,231	1,878	3,845	13,756
2005	1,742	1,608	6,208	5,774	2,009	4,460	14,918
2006	2,707	1,462	7,448	7,017	2,088	5,406	17,545
2007	2,213	1,378	6,512	8,158	2,399	5,518	18,516
2008	2,306	1,302	5,129	9,119	3,041	4,924	19,582
2009	2,946	1,632	4,350	9,735	3,278	4,696	20,422
2010	3,007	1,854	4,183	10,943	3,036	4,577	21,089
2011	2,666	2,266	4,681	11,693	4,397	4,418	22,784
2012	2,628	2,635	4,404	11,140	5,925	3,932	23,166
2013	3,105	3,627	4,944	11,346	8,257	3,591	25,052
2014	5,544	4,298	5,415	12,159	10,574	3,400	28,647
2015	9,580	5,716	6,784	12,727	12,989	3,301	33,091
2016	19,413	7,542	10,375	14,487	15,469	3,373	42,249
2017	28,466	10,333	13,942	14,495	15,482	3,194	47,600
2018	31,335	12,676	14,666	12,552	14,996	3,023	46,802
2019	36,359	16,167	15,883	11,886	14,019	2,740	49,860
2020	56,516	23,837	19,447	13,471	13,165	3,543	68,630
2021	70,601	32,537	24,486	13,618	9,173	3,678	80,411
2022	73,838	34,022	27,569	11,871	5,871	3,334	81,806
2023	72,776	34,855	29,449	10,112	3,984	3,355	79,358
2024	47,735	28,722	21,945	7,989	2,743	3,229	54,045

Final age-adjusted death rate by drug involved, per 100,000, 1999-2024

Each line is the source that counts most for that group.

Synthetic opioids other than methadone

Psychostimulants with abuse potential

Cocaine

Natural and semisynthetic opioids

Heroin

Methadone

Any opioid

Group	Figure	Year	Trust
Synthetic opioids other than methadone	14.3	2024	63 Moderate
Psychostimulants with abuse potential	8.5	2024	63 Moderate
Cocaine	6.3	2024	63 Moderate
Natural and semisynthetic opioids	2.3	2024	63 Moderate
Heroin	0.8	2024	63 Moderate
Methadone	0.9	2024	63 Moderate
Any opioid	16	2024	63 Moderate

Show every year as a table

Year	Synthetic opioids other than methadone	Psychostimulants with abuse potential	Cocaine	Natural and semisynthetic opioids	Heroin	Methadone	Any opioid
1999	0.3	0.2	1.4	1	0.7	0.3	2.9
2000	0.3	0.2	1.3	1	0.7	0.4	3
2001	0.3	0.2	1.3	1.2	0.6	0.5	3.3
2002	0.4	0.3	1.6	1.5	0.7	0.8	4.1
2003	0.5	0.4	1.8	1.7	0.7	1	4.5
2004	0.6	0.4	1.9	1.8	0.6	1.3	4.7
2005	0.6	0.5	2.1	1.9	0.7	1.5	5.1
2006	0.9	0.5	2.5	2.3	0.7	1.8	5.9
2007	0.7	0.4	2.2	2.7	0.8	1.8	6.1
2008	0.8	0.4	1.7	3	1	1.6	6.4
2009	1	0.5	1.4	3.1	1.1	1.5	6.6
2010	1	0.6	1.3	3.5	1	1.5	6.8
2011	0.8	0.7	1.5	3.7	1.4	1.4	7.3
2012	0.8	0.8	1.4	3.5	1.9	1.2	7.4
2013	1	1.2	1.6	3.5	2.7	1.1	7.9
2014	1.8	1.4	1.7	3.8	3.4	1.1	9
2015	3.1	1.8	2.1	3.9	4.1	1	10.4
2016	6.2	2.4	3.2	4.4	4.9	1	13.3
2017	9	3.2	4.3	4.4	4.9	1	14.9
2018	9.9	3.9	4.5	3.8	4.7	0.9	14.6
2019	11.4	5	4.9	3.6	4.4	0.8	15.5
2020	17.8	7.5	6	4	4.1	1.1	21.4
2021	21.8	10	7.3	4	2.8	1.1	24.7
2022	22.7	10.4	8.2	3.5	1.8	1	25
2023	22.2	10.6	8.6	2.9	1.2	1	24
2024	14.3	8.5	6.3	2.3	0.8	0.9	16

Final drug overdose deaths by sex, 1999-2024

Each line is the source that counts most for that group.

Male
Female

Group	Figure	Year	Trust
Male	55,076	2024	71 Moderate
Female	24,308	2024	71 Moderate

Show every year as a table

Year	Male	Female
1999	11,258	5,591
2000	11,563	5,852
2001	12,658	6,736
2002	15,028	8,490
2003	16,399	9,386
2004	17,120	10,304
2005	18,724	11,089
2006	21,893	12,532
2007	22,298	13,712
2008	22,468	13,982
2009	22,593	14,411
2010	23,006	15,323
2011	24,988	16,352
2012	25,112	16,390
2013	26,799	17,183
2014	28,812	18,243
2015	32,957	19,447
2016	41,558	22,074
2017	46,552	23,685
2018	44,941	22,426
2019	47,881	22,749
2020	63,728	28,071
2021	74,301	32,398
2022	75,814	32,127
2023	74,189	30,818
2024	55,076	24,308

Final age-adjusted death rate by sex, per 100,000, 1999-2024

Each line is the source that counts most for that group.

Male
Female

Group	Figure	Year	Trust
Male	32.2	2024	63 Moderate
Female	14.1	2024	63 Moderate

Show every year as a table

Year	Male	Female
1999	8.2	3.9
2000	8.3	4.1
2001	9	4.6
2002	10.6	5.8
2003	11.5	6.4
2004	11.8	6.9
2005	12.8	7.3
2006	14.8	8.2
2007	14.9	8.8
2008	14.9	8.9
2009	14.8	9.1
2010	15	9.6
2011	16.1	10.2
2012	16.1	10.2
2013	17	10.6
2014	18.3	11.1
2015	20.8	11.8
2016	26.2	13.4
2017	29.1	14.4
2018	27.9	13.6
2019	29.6	13.7
2020	39.5	17.1
2021	45.1	19.6
2022	45.6	19.4
2023	44.3	18.3
2024	32.2	14.1

Final drug overdose deaths by race and Hispanic origin, 2019-2024

Each line is the source that counts most for that group.

American Indian and Alaska Native, non-Hispanic
Asian, non-Hispanic
Black, non-Hispanic
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic
White, non-Hispanic
Hispanic

Group	Figure	Year	Trust
American Indian and Alaska Native, non-Hispanic	1,237	2024	63 Moderate
Asian, non-Hispanic	1,044	2024	63 Moderate
Black, non-Hispanic	15,228	2024	63 Moderate
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic	142	2024	63 Moderate
White, non-Hispanic	48,436	2024	63 Moderate
Hispanic	11,239	2024	63 Moderate

Show every year as a table

Year	American Indian and Alaska Native, non-Hispanic	Asian, non-Hispanic	Black, non-Hispanic	Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic	White, non-Hispanic	Hispanic
2019	723	679	10,517	58	50,044	7,473
2020	1,009	935	15,256	86	62,312	10,606
2021	1,358	971	19,212	127	70,121	12,986
2022	1,543	1,142	20,725	125	67,974	14,131
2023	1,548	1,110	21,547	174	63,659	14,520
2024	1,237	1,044	15,228	142	48,436	11,239

Final age-adjusted death rate by race and Hispanic origin, per 100,000, 2019-2024

Each line is the source that counts most for that group.

American Indian and Alaska Native, non-Hispanic
Asian, non-Hispanic
Black, non-Hispanic
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic
White, non-Hispanic
Hispanic

Group	Figure	Year	Trust
American Indian and Alaska Native, non-Hispanic	51.6	2024	63 Moderate
Asian, non-Hispanic	4.4	2024	63 Moderate
Black, non-Hispanic	33.8	2024	63 Moderate
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic	20.5	2024	63 Moderate
White, non-Hispanic	24.7	2024	63 Moderate
Hispanic	17	2024	63 Moderate

Show every year as a table

Year	American Indian and Alaska Native, non-Hispanic	Asian, non-Hispanic	Black, non-Hispanic	Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic	White, non-Hispanic	Hispanic
2019	30.5	3.3	24.8	9.5	26.2	12.7
2020	42.5	4.6	35.8	13.7	33.1	17.6
2021	56.6	4.7	44.2	20.1	36.8	21.1
2022	65.2	5.3	47.5	18.8	35.6	22.7
2023	65	5.1	48.9	26.2	33.1	22.8
2024	51.6	4.4	33.8	20.5	24.7	17

Provisional predicted deaths by drug involved, 12 months ending December 2015-2025 and May 2026

Each line is the source that counts most for that group.

Synthetic opioids, excl. methadone (T40.4)

Psychostimulants with abuse potential (T43.6)

Cocaine (T40.5)

Natural & semi-synthetic opioids (T40.2)

Heroin (T40.1)

Methadone (T40.3)

Opioids (T40.0-T40.4,T40.6)

Group	Figure	Year	Trust
Synthetic opioids, excl. methadone (T40.4)	34,507	2026	63 Moderate
Psychostimulants with abuse potential (T43.6)	24,409	2026	63 Moderate
Cocaine (T40.5)	19,225	2026	63 Moderate
Natural & semi-synthetic opioids (T40.2)	6,996	2026	63 Moderate
Heroin (T40.1)	1,714	2026	63 Moderate
Methadone (T40.3)	3,386	2026	63 Moderate
Opioids (T40.0-T40.4,T40.6)	41,311	2026	63 Moderate

Show every year as a table

Year	Synthetic opioids, excl. methadone (T40.4)	Psychostimulants with abuse potential (T43.6)	Cocaine (T40.5)	Natural & semi-synthetic opioids (T40.2)	Heroin (T40.1)	Methadone (T40.3)	Opioids (T40.0-T40.4,T40.6)
2015	9,683	5,835	6,894	12,864	13,142	3,341	33,460
2016	19,676	7,698	10,556	14,694	15,680	3,429	42,827
2017	28,844	10,525	14,161	14,671	15,686	3,236	48,201
2018	31,724	12,952	14,897	12,715	15,190	3,071	47,399
2019	36,895	16,511	16,155	12,056	14,220	2,784	50,587
2020	57,265	24,344	19,730	13,623	13,333	3,590	69,520
2021	71,746	33,322	24,926	13,815	9,336	3,737	81,699
2022	75,453	35,217	28,161	12,055	6,004	3,401	83,557
2023	74,792	36,416	30,205	10,298	4,098	3,430	81,501
2024	48,913	29,852	22,397	8,082	2,808	3,285	55,296
2025	38,506	26,315	19,953	7,148	2,065	3,564	45,065
2026	34,507	24,409	19,225	6,996	1,714	3,386	41,311

The same calendar year in final and provisional data, deaths, 2015-2024

Each line is the source that counts most for that group.

Final
Provisional reported
Provisional predicted

Group	Figure	Year	Trust
Final	79,384	2024	71 Moderate
Provisional reported	80,860	2024	63 Moderate
Provisional predicted	81,313	2024	63 Moderate

Show every year as a table

Year	Final	Provisional reported	Provisional predicted
2015	52,404	52,623	53,053
2016	63,632	63,938	64,557
2017	70,237	70,699	71,193
2018	67,367	67,850	68,313
2019	70,630	71,130	71,740
2020	91,799	92,478	93,129
2021	106,699	107,573	108,553
2022	107,941	109,413	110,393
2023	105,007	106,881	107,966
2024	79,384	80,860	81,313

Change from the year before, %, 2000-2026

Each line is the source that counts most for that group.

Final age-adjusted rate
Provisional predicted count

Group	Figure	Year	Trust
Final age-adjusted rate	-26.2	2024	63 Moderate
Provisional predicted count	-11.5	2026	63 Moderate

Show every year as a table

Year	Final age-adjusted rate	Provisional predicted count
2000	1.6	–
2001	9.7	–
2002	20.6	–
2003	8.5	–
2004	5.6	–
2005	7.4	–
2006	13.9	–
2007	3.5	–
2008	0	–
2009	0	–
2010	3.4	–
2011	7.3	–
2012	-0.8	–
2013	5.3	–
2014	6.5	–
2015	10.9	–
2016	21.5	21.7
2017	9.6	10.3
2018	-4.6	-4
2019	4.3	5
2020	31	29.8
2021	14.5	16.6
2022	0.6	1.7
2023	-4	-2.2
2024	-26.2	-24.7
2025	–	-13
2026	–	-11.5

About this data

Every source on this page (3)

Who is behind the sources

100% Health agency

Each publisher, its funding and its own description

CDC / National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) · Health agencyFunding: U.S. federal budget, through the Department of Health and Human Services. sourceIn its own words: “NCHS is a unique public resource for data and evidence to help improve health.” source, retrieved 2026-10-27

NCHS Data Briefs, Drug Overdose Deaths in the United States (National Vital Statistics System, final mortality file)CDC / National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) (health agency) · Death and health registersUsed for 34 numbers; counts toward 34. Years 2024. Retrieved 2026-11-02.Open the publisher's page
CDC VSRR Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts, predicted valuesCDC / National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) (health agency) · Model-based estimateUsed for 10 numbers; counts toward 10. Years 2024 to 2026. Retrieved 2026-11-02.Open the publisher's page
CDC VSRR Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts, reported valuesCDC / National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) (health agency) · Death and health registersUsed for 1 number; counts toward 1. Years 2024. Retrieved 2026-11-02.Open the publisher's page

Why the numbers differ (3)

Final and provisional counts for the same year differ on purpose. For 2024: final 79,384 (US residents, by residence, file closed), provisional reported 80,860 and predicted 81,313 (all deaths in the 50 states and DC by place of occurrence, including about 400-500 foreign residents a year, with later record updates). (source, retrieved 2026-11-02)
The count is the number of people who died; the age-adjusted rate removes differences in population size and age structure, so the two lines can move differently over time.
Provisional reported counts are records received so far; predicted counts add a model-based adjustment for deaths still pending investigation. Both are shown, and only the final file is treated as complete.

Common mistakes (4)

Adding the drug categories together. A death involving several drugs counts in each one, so the categories sum to more than the total. (source, retrieved 2026-11-02)
Reading "synthetic opioids other than methadone" as fentanyl alone. NCHS's category also includes fentanyl analogs and tramadol. (source, retrieved 2026-11-02)
Comparing a provisional 12-month count directly with a final year. NCHS says reported provisional counts should not be considered comparable with final data. (source, retrieved 2026-11-02)
Treating a provisional fall as settled. NCHS says flat or falling provisional counts can reflect incomplete data, real decreases or both. (source, retrieved 2026-11-02)

Context (2)

Sources considered and not used (8)

A second independent national count: None found. Every national figure traced here (NCHS briefs, VSRR, CDC WONDER, NIDA) comes from the same death certificates in the National Vital Statistics System, so this page is single-source.
NIDA, Drug Overdose Death Rates workbook: Republishes CDC WONDER through 2023. Its 2023 total (105,007) equals NCHS's final count, so it adds no data line and is a year older than the briefs. (source, retrieved 2026-11-02)
CDC WONDER queried directly: Each WONDER query requires accepting its data use terms. The same final counts come from the NCHS Data Brief tables.
CDC SUDORS dashboard: A separate CDC collection using death certificates, medical examiner or coroner reports and toxicology, but limited to unintentional and undetermined deaths in participating jurisdictions, so it is not a national count of the defined number. Published through an interactive dashboard with no scripted file found. (source, retrieved 2026-11-02)
DEA National Drug Threat Assessment: dea.gov returned HTTP 403 to the scripted download. Nothing was read. (source, retrieved 2026-11-02)
State medical examiner reports: Each covers one state or county, with its own definitions and years, so none measures the national number.
NCHS Health, United States overdose table as a separate line: NCHS's own table of the same data, ending in 2018. Used as a check only: its rates for all persons, males and females in 1999-2018 match the briefs. Its race figures are split by sex, so it gives no both-sexes series by race before 2019. (source, retrieved 2026-11-02)
Age groups in the NCHS briefs: Published in the same briefs but outside this page's scope of drug, sex, and race or Hispanic origin.

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Cite as: RealStats, “How many Americans die of drug overdoses, and is it rising?”, updated 2026-11-02, with the original sources listed on the page. Scores use formula version 1.0.
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