NCHS - Death rates and life expectancy at birth

U.S. mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) tracks age-adjusted death rates and life expectancy at birth from 1900 to 2017. The dataset includes breakdowns by Race and Sex, with death rates calculated per 100,000 using standard population methods. Data is sourced from the CDC/NCHS National Vital Statistics System and CDC WONDER.

Use Cases

• Analyzing long-term mortality trends using Year and Age-adjusted Death Rate.
• Comparing life expectancy disparities across population groups using Average Life Expectancy (Years), Race, and Sex.
• Modeling the relationship between demographic factors and mortality outcomes using Race, Sex, and Age-adjusted Death Rate.
• Creating time-series visualizations of public health progress using Year, Age-adjusted Death Rate, and Average Life Expectancy (Years).

Strengths

• Covers over a century of U.S. mortality data from 1900 to 2017.
• Provides disaggregated data by Race and Sex for analyzing disparities.
• Age-adjusted death rates use a standardized 2000 U.S. population for comparability over time.
• Sourced from authoritative CDC/NCHS National Vital Statistics System.

Limitations

• Data for the black population is not consistently available before 1968 and not at all before 1960.
• Row count and total dataset size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Life expectancy data is available only up to 2017.

Provenance

Source

CDC/NCHS National Vital Statistics System, CDC WONDER.

Collection Method

Compiled from historical vital statistics records and postcensal population estimates.

Time Range

1900-2017

Freshness

Last updated 2025-04-21 16:20:47.

Geography

United States