Causes of Death, Australia

Age-standardised death rates (SDRs) enable the comparison of mortality patterns over time as they account for changes in the size and age structure of the population. For more information on age-standardised death rates, refer to Processing the data – Methods for cause of death analysis in the methodology.

Between 2016 and 2025:

• The age-standardised death rate for ischaemic heart diseases decreased to its lowest since official cause of death statistics began collection in 1968 (42.0 deaths per 100,000 people in 2025).
• While the number of deaths due to dementia increased over the 10-year period, the age-standardised death rate for dementia has been more stable, reflecting an ageing population.
• The rate of deaths due to cerebrovascular diseases decreased by 31.6%.
• While deaths due to lung cancer and chronic lower respiratory diseases both increased in number, the standardised death rate for these causes decreased by 17.3% and 14.6%, respectively.

Years of potential life lost (YPLL) is a measure of premature mortality which weights age at death to gain an estimate of how many years a person would have lived had they not died prematurely. Causes of death with a younger median age at death will have a higher number of YPLL. The ABS methodology defines a "premature death" as one where the person was aged between 1-78 years at the time of death. For more information on years of potential life lost, refer to Processing the data – Methods for cause of death analysis in the methodology.

In 2025:

• Suicide was the leading cause of premature death, accounting for the highest number of potential years of life lost (108,674). People who died by suicide had a median age at death of 45.0 years.
• Ischaemic heart diseases had the highest number of deaths occurring in those aged under 79, but the second highest number of YPLL at 72,039 years. People who died from ischaemic heart diseases had a median age at death of 82.6 years.
• People who died from accidental drug overdose, lung cancer and land transport accidents had the third, fourth and fifth highest YPLL, with median ages of 47.3, 75.4 and 49.5 years, respectively.

For the 98,762 males who died in 2025:

• Ischaemic heart diseases were the leading cause of death (10,263 deaths).
• While the death rate for ischemic heart diseases remains considerably higher than the second ranked cause (dementia at 7,391 deaths), the rate ratio has narrowed over time. Ten years ago, the mortality rate for ischaemic heart diseases was 2.1 times higher than that of dementia. In 2025, the rate for ischaemic heart diseases was 1.4 times higher than that of dementia.
• Four of the top 10 leading causes of death in males were malignant neoplasms (cancer), specifically lung cancer, prostate cancer, blood and lymph cancer and colorectal cancer. These cancer types have consistently been the top four leading causes of cancer deaths in males. Overall, cancer accounted for 29.8% of all male deaths in 2025.
• Suicide remained the 11th leading cause, and the second highest ranked external cause of death in males. 73.9% of people who died by suicide were male.

For males from 2016 to 2025:

• The overall mortality rate decreased by 9.2% to 581.3 deaths per 100,000 people, which is the lowest mortality rate on record for males in Australia.
• The death rate for ischaemic heart diseases decreased by 29.9%.
• The death rate for dementia, including Alzheimer's disease increased by 4.3%.

For the 89,659 females who died in 2025:

• Dementia, including Alzheimer's disease was the leading cause of death (11,628 deaths), with close to two-thirds (61.1%) of people dying from the disease being female. Dementia has been the leading cause of death for females since 2016.
• Ischaemic heart diseases were the second leading cause with 5,965 deaths.
• Accidental falls were the eighth leading cause of death and the leading external cause of death.
• Breast cancer was the sixth leading cause overall and second leading cause of cancer deaths with 3,244 deaths.

For females from 2016 to 2025:

• The overall mortality rate decreased by 6.9%.
• The death rate for dementia increased by 7.0%.
• The death rate for ischaemic heart diseases decreased by 41.1%.

Recent years have seen a change in the leading causes of premature mortality for females.

• Until 2020, breast cancer was the leading cause of premature mortality, but was surpassed by suicide in 2021 to 2023, and now 2025.
• In 2025, breast cancer accounted for 25,503 years of potential life lost for females.
• Suicide accounted for 30,145 years of potential life lost. This is the highest in the time series and the first time years of potential life lost due to suicide has exceeded 30,000 years for females.

Despite differences in population size and demographics, the leading causes of death are now highly similar across most states and territories, with the Northern Territory the main exception.

In all jurisdictions except the Northern Territory:

• Dementia was the leading cause of death and ischaemic heart diseases were the second leading cause of death.
• The third to fifth leading causes of death were cerebrovascular diseases, lung cancer, and chronic lower respiratory diseases, with some differences in rankings.

In the Northern Territory, diabetes and ischaemic heart diseases were equally ranked as the leading causes of death. Diabetes was the cause of death for 9.5% of all deaths in the Northern Territory, compared with 3.1% nationally. 

Over the past 20 years, all of Australia’s states and territories have seen an increase in causes of death that primarily affect older Australians, notably dementia and accidental falls.

• In 2006, dementia accounted for between 2.3% and 5.6% of deaths in each jurisdiction. By 2025, this increased to between 4.1% and 12.1% of all deaths per jurisdiction.
• Accidental falls accounted for between 0.6% and 1.6% of deaths per jurisdiction in 2006, and between 1.9% and 3.8% in 2025.

In New South Wales:

• The top five leading causes of death have been consistent for 20 years, with the exception of 2022 when COVID-19 was the third leading cause of death and chronic lower respiratory diseases dropped to the sixth leading cause. 
• The pattern of mortality closely aligns with national trends, with deaths due to ischaemic heart diseases and cerebrovascular diseases decreasing over time, and deaths due to dementia increasing.
• There has been a sustained increase in the ranking of diabetes as a leading cause of death, from 11th leading cause in 2006 to 6th in 2025.

In Victoria:

• As seen in New South Wales, the top five leading causes of death have been consistent for 20 years, with the exception of COVID-19 as the third leading cause of death in 2022.
• Accidental falls were the sixth leading cause of death in 2025, which is higher than the national ranking (seventh) and all other jurisdictions except Western Australia, where falls were also the sixth leading cause.
• Diseases of the urinary system and heart failure were ranked seventh and eighth leading causes for the first time in 2024, representing their highest respective rankings in the time series. They remained the seventh and eighth leading causes in 2025.

In Queensland:

• In 2025, the top 10 leading causes of death were the same as the top 10 leading causes nationally, with some differences in rankings. Western Australia was the only other jurisdiction with the same top 10 leading causes.
• 2025 was the first year prostate cancer has not been one of the top 10 leading causes of death since 2007.
• Accidental falls entered the top 10 leading causes of death for the first time in 2024 and remained in the top 10 in 2025.

In South Australia:

• Influenza and pneumonia has featured in the top 10 leading causes of death more frequently than in any other jurisdiction. In 2025, influenza and pneumonia entered the top 10 leading causes of death in South Australia for the first time since 2019.
• Dementia overtook ischaemic heart diseases as the leading cause of death in 2020. South Australia was the second jurisdiction for this to occur, with the Australian Capital Territory being the first in 2018.

In Western Australia:

• As seen in Queensland, the top 10 leading causes of death in 2025 were the same as the top 10 leading causes nationally, with some differences in rankings.
• Accidental falls were the sixth leading cause of death in 2025, which is higher than the national ranking (seventh).
• Deaths due to colorectal cancer have decreased over time from 6th leading cause of death in 2006 to 10th leading cause in 2025. The only jurisdiction where colorectal cancer had a lower ranking in 2025 was the Northern Territory, where colorectal cancer was the 11th leading cause of death. For the past 20 years, colorectal cancer has consistently ranked between 5th and 10th leading cause of death in all jurisdictions except the Northern Territory.

In Tasmania:

• In 2025, influenza and pneumonia entered the top 10 leading causes of death for the first time since 2019.
• There were fewer deaths separating dementia and ischaemic heart disease as leading causes of death than in any other jurisdiction (23 deaths).

In the Northern Territory:

• In 2025, influenza and pneumonia entered the top 10 leading causes of death for the first time.
• Diabetes was the leading cause of death (alongside ischaemic heart diseases) for the first time in 2025.
• Dementia has been one of the top 10 leading causes of death since 2013 but has not yet ranked higher than the third leading cause, which occurred in 2022.
• Intentional self-harm and land transport accidents were the seventh and ninth ranked leading causes of death in 2025. These two causes have consistently ranked within the top 10 leading causes of death throughout the time series.
• Cirrhosis and other liver diseases have frequently appeared in the top 10 leading causes historically (13 out of 16 years between 2006 and 2021) but have not appeared in the top 10 since 2021. Liver diseases were the 16th leading cause of death in 2025.

In the Australian Capital Territory:

• Dementia overtook ischaemic heart diseases as the leading cause of death in 2018. The Australian Capital Territory was the first jurisdiction for this to occur.
• Pancreatic cancer was the ninth leading cause of death in 2025, ranking within the top 10 leading causes for the third time since 2006 (9th in 2015 and 10th in 2024). Pancreatic cancer has never ranked within the top 10 leading causes in any other jurisdiction.

The leading cause of death profile in Australia varies by remoteness. Remoteness Areas divide Australia into five classes of remoteness which are characterised by a measure of relative geographic access to services (for more information, see Remoteness Areas). Remoteness data is based on area of usual residence aligned to the 2021 Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS).

In 2025:

• The age-standardised death rate in very remote Australia was 39.0% higher than the rate in major cities.
• Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease was the leading cause of death in major cities and inner regional Australia.
• Ischaemic heart diseases were the leading cause of death in outer regional Australia, remote Australia and very remote Australia.
• Intentional self-harm (suicide) was the eighth leading cause of death in remote Australia and the fifth leading cause of death in very remote Australia.

The table below presents a time series of leading causes of death for selected years from 1968 to 2025. 

• Between 1968 and 1978, ischaemic heart diseases accounted for 30% of all deaths. In 2025, 8.6% of all deaths were caused by ischaemic heart diseases.
• In 1968, dementia, including Alzheimer's disease accounted for 0.2% of all deaths, compared with 10.1% in 2025. Dementia first appeared in the top 5 leading causes of death in 2006.
• Influenza and pneumonia last appeared in the top 5 leading causes of death in 1970. While the number of deaths has remained relatively stable across years, their relative contribution to all deaths has decreased due to Australia’s growing population and improvements in medical and health care. In more recent years, the ranking of influenza and pneumonia can be dependent on the severity of an influenza season.
• Land transport accidents consistently ranked in the top 5 leading causes from 1968 until 1978. In 2025, land transport accidents were the 35th ranked leading cause of death.
• Since the 1970's, deaths due to lung cancer have consistently accounted for 4% to 6% of deaths each year. In 2025, 4.8% of deaths were caused by lung cancer.

Deaths data is presented in the tables below as age-specific death rates (ASDRs) for selected age groups for males, females and persons. 

In 2025:

• Age-specific death rates decreased from 2024 in those older than 25 years (down 1.1%).
• The greatest proportionate decrease in the age-specific death rate occurred for males aged 25-44 years (a decrease of 7.0% compared with 2024).
• The largest proportionate increase was for males under 25 years (an increase of 2.4% compared with 2024).
• The lowest death rate was in 2025 was for those aged under 25 years (30.5 deaths per 100,000 people). This was a slight increase compared to the death rate for the same age group in 2024 (30.2 deaths per 100,000 people) which was the lowest rate in the 10-year time series.
• Death rates for those aged 25-44 years in 2025 were the lowest in the 10-year time series (69.7 deaths per 100,000 people). 
• Those aged over 85 years had the highest age-specific death rate for both males (13,442.6 deaths per 100,000 people) and females (12,169.9 deaths per 100,000 people). Over half (55.6%) of all deaths were of people aged 80 years and older.
• The median age at death by registration year was 81.9 years (79.7 for males and 84.6 for females).

The following analysis of median age at death by cause of death excludes causes of death with a count of fewer than 100 deaths in 2025, as well as causes of death for which a high proportion of deaths occur among infants aged under one year.

In 2025:

• Seven of the ten causes with the highest median age at death were ranked within the top 20 leading causes of death.
• Causes of death with the highest median age at death included:
  • chronic cardiovascular conditions such as heart failure, hypertensive diseases and valve disorders
  • dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease
  • acute illnesses and injuries associated with a high risk of mortality in frail older adults with reduced physiological reserve, including falls, influenza and pneumonia, and electrolyte imbalances.
• The lowest median age at death was for those who died from assault.
• All other causes with a median age at death under 50 years were external causes of death.

In 2025:

• The median age at death for ischaemic heart diseases was 82.6 years, which is the lowest recorded since 2004 (82.4 years).
•  The median age at death for lung cancer was the highest in the 25-year time series at 75.4 years.

Between 2001 and 2025:

• For deaths due to dementia, the median age at death increased to a peak of 88.9 years in 2020 and 2021.
• The highest recorded median age at death for ischaemic heart diseases was 85.0 years in 2015 and 2016. From 2017 to 2025, the median age at death decreased by an average of 0.27 years of age annually.
• For deaths due to cerebrovascular diseases and chronic lower respiratory diseases, the median age at death also peaked in the mid-2010s (cerebrovascular diseases in 2015 at 86.6 years and chronic lower respiratory diseases in 2016 at 81.8 years). The median age at death has since been trending downward over time for both these causes of death.
• From 2001 to 2018, there was less than one year separating the median age at death for chronic lower respiratory diseases and the median age at death for all causes of death. This gap has since widened and in 2025, the median age of those who died from chronic lower respiratory diseases was 1.7 years lower than the all-cause median.

The median age at death profile in Australia varies by remoteness. Remoteness Areas divide Australia into five classes of remoteness which are characterised by a measure of relative geographic access to services (for more information, see Remoteness Areas).

In 2025:

• Major cities of Australia had the highest median age at death for all top 10 leading causes.
• Remote and very remote Australia had the lowest median age at death for all top 10 leading causes.
• For the causes listed below, the median age at death for those in remote and very remote Australia was on average 6.9 years lower than the median age at death in Australia's major cities.

Median age at death also varies by socio-economic index. The Socio-Economic Index for Areas: Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage (SEIFA IRSAD) summarises information about the economic and social conditions of people and households within an area. This index includes both relative advantage and disadvantage measures. A low score indicates relatively greater disadvantage and a lack of advantage in general, whilst a high score indicates a relative lack of disadvantage and greater advantage in general (for more information, see Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas).

In 2025:

• Increased socio-economic advantage (and relative lack of disadvantage) was generally associated with higher median age at death.
• For the causes listed below, the median age at death for those in Australia's most advantaged areas (quintile 5) was on average 2.7 years higher than the median age at death for those in its least advantaged areas (quintile 1).
• Quintile 5 (most advantaged, least disadvantaged) had the highest median age at death for 9 of the top 10 leading causes of death.
• Quintile 1 (least advantaged, most disadvantaged) had the lowest median age at death for 9 of the top 10 leading causes of death.

Recent improvements in the derivation of Indigenous status by the ABS have resulted in improved identification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the National Mortality dataset, most notably from 2022. These changes mean that a higher number of deaths of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are identified in the dataset, with a subsequent increase in mortality rates. This should be considered when interpreting as some changes are largely administrative. Administrative changes are annotated in the graph.

All-cause mortality rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males, females and persons are presented in the graph below.

In 2025:

• There were 5,372 registered deaths of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the five jurisdictions (NSW, Qld, SA, WA and NT).
• The age-standardised mortality rate was 1,036.0 deaths per 100,000 people. This is a 5.2% increase from the 2024 rate of death (984.5 deaths per 100,000 people).
• The median age at death was 63.7 years. This has increased by almost 10 years over the last two decades (55.1 years in 2006).

Between 2016 and 2025:

• The mortality rate was consistently higher for males compared to females.
• The rate ratio ranged between 1.2 to 1.3 male deaths for every female death.
• The increase in mortality rates in 2022 was largely due to an improvement in the identification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the ABS mortality dataset.

In 2025:

• For males, the leading cause of death was ischaemic heart diseases (354 deaths) and the second leading cause was chronic lower respiratory diseases (230 deaths). For the first time since 2012, intentional self-harm (196 deaths) has moved from the second to the third leading cause of death.
• For males, chronic lower respiratory diseases had the largest increase between 2024 and 2025, with an additional 48 deaths.
• For females, the leading cause of death was diabetes (199 deaths), followed by ischaemic heart disease (189 deaths). 
• Diabetes moved from the second leading cause of death in 2024 for females to the leading cause of death in 2025. For all persons, diabetes remained the third leading cause of death in 2025. 
• Influenza and pneumonia deaths have increased by from 87 to 104 deaths between 2024 and 2025.

Between 2016 and 2025:

• The top 5 leading causes remained the same across the period (ischaemic heart diseases, diabetes, chronic lower respiratory diseases, lung cancer and intentional self-harm) with some changes in rankings. The top 5 leading causes of death accounted for over one-third of all deaths.
• The age-standardised death rate for diabetes has decreased over the ten-year time series.

There has been a sustained increase in the median age at death for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over time. The following graph shows a 5-year moving average of median age at death for the top 5 leading causes of death for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in 2025.

Of note:

• Those who died from chronic lower respiratory diseases had the highest median age at death throughout the time series (68.4 years in 2021-2025).
• Those who died from intentional self-harm had the lowest median age at death throughout the time series (32.9 years in 2021-2025).
• All the top 5 leading causes have recorded an increase in the median age at death across the time series. The largest increase was for those who died from diabetes, with a median age of 60.0 years in 1997-2001 and 66.5 years in 2021-2025.

The tables below show the number of deaths and age-standardised death rates for the top 5 leading causes of death in for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in Australia's Major Cities, Inner and Outer Regional areas, and Remote and Very Remote areas. Classes of remoteness are characterised by a measure of relative geographic access to services (for more information, see Remoteness Areas). Remoteness data is based on area of usual residence aligned to the 2021 Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS).

In 2025:

• Ischaemic heart diseases were the leading cause of death for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across all remoteness areas.
• Chronic lower respiratory diseases were the second leading cause of death for those in major cities and regional Australia. 
• Diabetes was the second leading cause of death for those in remote and very remote Australia, with an age-standardised death rate of 133.0 compared with 37.5 in major cities and 56.2 in regional areas.
• Diabetes was not in the five leading causes of death for those in major cities, where it was ranked 7th in 2025 with 88 deaths. Accidental poisoning was the 5th leading cause in major cities.
• The age-standardised death rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in remote and very remote Australia was 18.6% higher than the rate in major cities in 2025. The difference in the death rates in remote and very remote Australia compared with major cities has been reducing over the last 5 years.