Death in Kentucky
In 2025, 52,793 people died in Kentucky, about 145 a day. Life expectancy at birth is 75.3 years, 3.7 years below the U.S. average of 79.0. The leading cause of death is heart disease.
Quick facts
- Kentucky recorded 52,793 deaths in 2025, about 145 a day (CDC/NCHS provisional counts).
- The death rate in Kentucky was 1,146 per 100,000 residents in 2025, the 5th highest of the 50 states and D.C., against 909 for the U.S. (CDC/NCHS provisional counts and Census Bureau estimates).
- Life expectancy at birth in Kentucky is 75.3 years, against 79.0 for the U.S. (NCHS state life tables for 2022, adjusted to 2024 death rates).
- Women in Kentucky can expect to live 77.7 years at birth and men 72.9 (NCHS state life tables for 2022, adjusted to 2024 death rates).
- The leading cause of death in Kentucky was heart disease, with 11,292 deaths in 2024 (CDC/NCHS final data).
Estimated deaths in Kentucky so far today
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Estimate based on 52,793 deaths counted in Kentucky in 2025. Those are CDC provisional counts, newer than the final data for the year before, and they may change slightly. The total is spread over the year by each month's usual share. Days start at midnight Eastern Time.
How long people live in Kentucky
| Kentucky | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|
| Everyone, at birth | 75.3 | 79.0 |
| Women, at birth | 77.7 | 81.5 |
| Men, at birth | 72.9 | 76.5 |
| Years left at 65 | 17.5 | 19.7 |
Life expectancy in years. NCHS state life tables (2022), adjusted to 2024 U.S. death rates; U.S. life tables 2024. Death rates are not adjusted for age, so states with older residents rank higher.
Kentucky had the 22nd most deaths of the 50 states and Washington, D.C. in 2025, and the 5th highest death rate, 1,146 per 100,000 residents, against 909 for the whole country.
Work out the numbers for your own age with the life expectancy calculator, or see every state ranked in life expectancy by state.
Age at death in Kentucky
Out of everyone born today, the share who would die at each age if today's death rates held. The most common age is 86.
NCHS state life tables (2022), adjusted to 2024 U.S. death rates.
After a death in Kentucky
- ProbateUSProbate in KentuckyWhen an estate needs probate in Kentucky, the small-estate options, and which court handles it.
- Cheap FuneralFuneral prices in KentuckyPublished prices for direct cremation and burial at funeral homes in the state.
- FuneralUSFind a funeral homeSearch funeral homes by city or ZIP code, with contact details.
- VeteranFuneralsVeteran cemeteries in KentuckyNational and state veterans cemeteries, and the burial benefits veterans and spouses can use.
- FunerariaCercaFunerarias en KentuckyFuneral homes for Spanish-speaking families, in Spanish.
Leading causes of death in Kentucky
Deaths in 2024, by cause.
- Heart disease11,292
- Cancer10,528
- Chronic lung disease (COPD)3,453
- Accidents (unintentional injuries)3,389
- Stroke2,269
Source: Stats of the States: death data maps by cause (heart disease, cancer, accidents, stroke, ...), CDC / National Center for Health Statistics, 2024 final data.
The leading causes change a lot with age. See the leading causes of death by age for the U.S.