Mortality Rates in Oregon
- Oregon Population: 4,217,737 (27th highest)
- Population Density: 44.19 per square mile (37th most dense)
- Median Age: 39.9 (16th oldest)
- Deaths Per Year: 36,187 per year
- Annual Deaths Per 100,000: 863.5
- Life Expectancy at Birth: 79.7 (11th highest)
- Fertility Rate (births per 1,000 women age 15-44): 50.6 (6th lowest rate)
Leading Causes of Death in Oregon
|Cause of Death||Deaths Per Year||Deaths Per 100,000||National Rank|
|Accidents (includes vehicle accidents)
|Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases (e.g., emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma)
|Liver Disease / Cirrhosis
|Hypertension (high blood pressure)
|Pneumonia + Flu
|Kidney Disease (nephritis, nephrosis, nephrotic syndrome)
Between 2010 and 2019, Oregon’s population grew by 10.1%—the 11th highest rate among U.S. states. However, at 50.6, Oregon’s fertility rate is 6th
Oregon has the nation’s 11th longest life expectancy at birth. The state’s annual death rate of 863.5 is slightly below the national average, but, when adjusted for median age, Oregon’s rate is the nation’s 13th
At 4.69 per 1,000 live births, Oregon’s infant mortality rate is 11th lowest in the U.S. Oregon’s rates of low birthweight and preterm births are 2nd and 4th lowest in the nation, respectively.
Oregon is among the ten states with the lowest rates of several health-related causes of death—including heart disease, kidney disease, and septicemia (blood-poisoning illnesses).
Oregon’s rate of death due to hypertension is the nation’s 7th highest, and the state’s rates of Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and liver disease are above the national averages.
For this reason, it’s not all that uncommon for many applicants applying from Oregon to first consider purchasing a no medical exam term life insurance policy first, rather than choosing to apply for a traditional fully underwritten term life insurance policy that will require both a blood and urine sample.
With only 3.0 homicides per 100,000 population, Oregon has the nation’s 11th lowest homicide rate.
Drug Overdose and Suicide
Oregon’s COVID-19 death rate for 2020 was 26.3 per 100,000—4th lowest among U.S. states (behind Vermont, Hawaii, and Maine). Through July, 2021, Oregon drops to 5th place (behind Alaska, as well).
Accidental Death Statistics
Oregon’s rate of accidental deaths due to injury is consistent with the national average. At 18.4 per 100,000, Oregon’s rate of deaths due to accidental falls is about 50% above the national average and 8th highest among U.S. states. Oregon is well below the national average in deaths due to accidental poisoning, with 12.9 per 100,000.
For these reasons while we would always advise one to consider purchasing an accidental death policy as a way to “supplement” one’s traditional coverage, choosing to ONLY apply for an accidental policy is strongly discouraged.
U.S. Dept of Ag., Economic Research Service, https://data.ers.usda.gov/reports.aspx?ID=17827 (citing U.S. Census Bureau, 2019).
StatsAmerica (Ind. Bus. Research Center), Median Age in 2019.
Kaiser Family Foundation, Number of Deaths per 100,000 Population (2019).
CDC, Natl. Center for Health Statistics, Fertility Rates by State (2019).
CDC, Natl. Center for Health Statistics, Stats of the States (2021).
CDC, Natl. Center for Health Statistics, Life Expectancy at Birth by State (2018).
CDC, Division of Vital Statistics, National Vital Statistics Report (2018).
CDC, Natl. Center for Health Statistics, Provisional Death Rates for COVID-19 (2020).
New York Times, Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count (July 23, 2021).
Natl. Safety Council, State Overview Table: 2019 (preventable-injury-related death rates per 100,000 population by state of residence, United States, 2019).