10 Leading Causes of Death in the U.S., 2010

In 2010, as in previous years, accidents were the leading cause of death for those under 34 years, while in older age groups, chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease were the leading causes. The top two—heart disease and cancer—are exactly the same. However, the age-adjusted death rate came in at a record low value of 747.0 per 100,000 for the United States, and life expectancy increased to a record high value of 78.7 years.