Child Loss Statistics

What is the Trend of Child Deaths and Death Rate?

Despite an increase in 2015 and 2016, the overall number of deaths and death rate has decreased since 1999.

How Has the Death Rate Changed for Children Less Than 1 Year Old?

The number of children less than one year old who have passed away per the population (Death Rate) has decreased since 1999 – a positive sign to see this number going in the right direction.

How Has the Death Rate Changed for Children of Older Age Groups?

While the Death Rate has generally trended downward for every age group since 1999, the 16-20 year old group has recently seen an increase in recent years.

How Does the Death Rate by Gender Trend Over Time?

Boys and girls experience a decrease in Death Rate since 1999, but both genders see an increase in 2015 and 2016.

What is the Death Rate Trend for Each Race?

Death Rate generally trends downward for each race during this time frame, however, each race experiences an uptick in recent years.

What Percent of Deaths Do Each Race Have by Year?

The percent of total deaths by race remains relatively static until recent years, in which Black or African American begin to have a larger percentage.

What Are the Top 3 Causes of Death by Age Group?

While the “<1 Year” Age Group has the largest number of deaths, with the leading cause being a rather general bucket (“Perinatal” meaning from the time pregnancy begins through one year after birth), the number one cause in all other age groups combined actually surpasses it. “External causes of Morbidity and Mortality” includes automobile accidents, assault and self-harm, among other causes. Not far behind this cause is “Neoplasms,” which is more commonly known as cancer.

Visit the Do-it-Yourself Causes of Death page to break down the causes further.

What Are the Top Causes of Death by Gender?

Although boys have more deaths than girls, the causes by the number of deaths follow nearly the same order. The major exception occurs in the top 2 spots, where boys have “External causes of morbidity and mortality” as the number one cause; this number is significantly more than the second cause (perinatal) compared to girls and is more than two times greater than the number of “morbidity and mortality” deaths for girls.

What Are the Top Causes of Death by Race?

“External causes of morbidity and mortality” and “Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period” make up the first and second cause of death for each race.

Which Age Group Makes Up the Largest Percent of Deaths?

Half of all child deaths occur before the age of one, while the next largest percentage of deaths occur between the ages of 16-20.

What Are the Top 3 Causes of Death by Age Group?

While the “<1 Year” Age Group has the largest number of deaths, with the leading cause being a rather general bucket (“Perinatal” meaning from the time pregnancy begins through one year after birth), the number one cause in all other age groups combined actually surpasses it. “External causes of Morbidity and Mortality” includes automobile accidents, assault and self-harm, among other causes. Not far behind this cause is “Neoplasms,” which is more commonly known as cancer.

Visit the Do-it-Yourself Causes of Death page to break down the causes further.

How Has the Death Rate Changed for Children Less Than 1 Year Old?

The number of children less than one year old who have passed away per the population (Death Rate) has decreased since 1999 – a positive sign to see this number going in the right direction.

How Has the Death Rate Changed for Children of Older Age Groups?

While the Death Rate has generally trended downward for every age group since 1999, the 16-20 year old group has recently seen an increase in recent years.

How Do the Number of Deaths Change by Age?

This chart demonstrates just how the numbers of deaths change during childhood. Although this data sums up deaths from 1999 through 2019, the relative size of the bars to one another is representative of any given year.

What is the Death Rate for each Gender by Age Group?

Boys have a higher Death Rate in every age group, being particularly higher in the less than one year and 16-20 years old age groups.

What is the Death Rate for Each Gender by Specific Age?

After the first year of life, the Death Rate decreases for both genders; however, the Death Rate for boys begins to increase around 14 and 15 years old.

What Percent of Deaths Do Each Gender Have by Age?

Boys make up a larger percentage of total deaths, consistently hovering around 57% until they become teenagers, at which time they begin to make up the larger majority of deaths.

What Percent of Deaths Do Each Race Have by Age?

Every race maintains a consistent percent of total deaths with the exception of Black or African American at the less than one year age.

What is the Death Rate For Each Race by Age?

Black or African American have the highest death rates at every single age.

Age Summary Table

This table is offers additional details on deaths by age. This data represents all deaths and their respective age’s population from 1999 through 2019.

Which Gender Makes Up the Largest Percent of Deaths?

Boys make up a larger proportion of child deaths compared to girls.

What Percent of Deaths Do Each Gender Have by Year?

Boys consistently make up more than 60% of total deaths, as no significant changes occur since 1999.

What Percent of Deaths Do Each Gender Have by Age?

Boys make up a larger percentage of total deaths, consistently hovering around 57% until they become teenagers, at which time they begin to make up the larger majority of deaths.

What is the Death Rate for each Gender by Age Group?

Boys have a higher Death Rate in every age group, being particularly higher in the less than one year and 16-20 years old age groups.

What is the Death Rate for Each Gender by Specific Age?

After the first year of life, the Death Rate decreases for both genders; however, the Death Rate for boys begins to increase around 14 and 15 years old.

How Does the Death Rate by Gender Trend Over Time?

Boys and girls experience a decrease in Death Rate since 1999, but both genders see an increase in 2015 and 2016.

What Are the Top Causes of Death by Gender?

Although boys have more deaths than girls, the causes by the number of deaths follow nearly the same order. The major exception occurs in the top 2 spots, where boys have “External causes of morbidity and mortality” as the number one cause; this number is significantly more than the second cause (perinatal) compared to girls and is more than two times greater than the number of “morbidity and mortality” deaths for girls.

Gender Summary Table

This table is offers additional details on deaths by gender and age. This data represents all deaths and their respective age’s population from 1999 through 2019.

Which Race Makes Up the Largest Percent of Deaths?

Although Whites makes up the largest percentage of deaths, Black or African American deaths are disproportionate to the U.S. population, as this group makes up 27% of deaths but only 17% of the population (per table above).

What Percent of Deaths Do Each Race Have by Age?

Every race maintains a consistent percent of total deaths with the exception of Black or African American at the less than one year age.

What Percent of Deaths Do Each Race Have by Year?

The percent of total deaths by race remains relatively static until recent years, in which Black or African American begin to have a larger percentage.

What is the Death Rate For Each Race by Age?

Black or African American have the highest death rates at every single age.

What is the Death Rate Trend for Each Race?

Death Rate generally trends downward for each race during this time frame, however, each race experiences an uptick in recent years.

What Are the Top Causes of Death by Race?

“External causes of morbidity and mortality” and “Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period” make up the first and second cause of death for each race.

Race Summary Table

This table is offers additional details on deaths by race and age. This data represents all deaths and their respective age’s population from 1999 through 2019.