U.S. overall fire death rate trend
On a per capita basis, fire death rates in the United States fluctuated over the past 10 years. From 2013 to 2022, the 10-year trend in the fire death rate per million population increased 22% (Table 1 and Figure 1). In 2022, the fire death rate in the U.S. was 13.3 deaths per million population — 2% higher than it was in 2021 when the fire death rate was 13.0 deaths per million population. Although fire death rates generally increased over the 10 years, the rates are still lower than they were over 20 years ago when the rate was 14.8 fire deaths per million population in 2000. Over the past decade, the fire death rate reached its lowest in 2015 at 10.5 fire deaths per million population.
In the case of fire deaths, fire death rates measure the number of fire deaths per million population. Trends in fire death rates are computed to show how the rates have changed over time by smoothing fluctuations or variations in the data from year to year.
To account for population differences, per capita rates are used. Per capita rates use a common population size, which then permits comparisons between different groups.
Fire death rates per million population (2013-2022)
| Year | Number of fire deaths | Population | Fire death rate (per million population) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 3468 | 316059947 | 11.0 |
| 2014 | 3428 | 318386329 | 10.8 |
| 2015 | 3362 | 320738994 | 10.5 |
| 2016 | 3515 | 323071755 | 10.9 |
| 2017 | 3645 | 325122128 | 11.2 |
| 2018 | 3810 | 326838199 | 11.7 |
| 2019 | 3515 | 328329953 | 10.7 |
| 2020 | 3790 | 331526933 | 11.4 |
| 2021 | 4316 | 332048977 | 13.0 |
| 2022 | 4446 | 333271411 | 13.3 |
| 10-year trend (%) | +22.0%* | ||
* The computation of the trend is based on the simple linear regression method of least squares.
Sources:
- National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). 2013-2022 Mortality Data Files, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. The table includes those deaths that are assigned International Classification of Disease codes F63.1, W39-W40, X00-X06, X08-X09, X75-X76, X96-X97, Y25-Y26 and Y35.1.3. These codes indicate that exposure to fire, fire products or explosion was the underlying cause of death or was a contributing factor.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. July 1, 2013-2019 population estimates from the table Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2010, to July 1, 2020 (NST-EST2020). Release date: December 2020, updated May 2021 with Puerto Rico estimates.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. July 1, 2020-2022 population estimates from the table Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2020, to July 1, 2023 (NST-EST2023-POP). Release date: December 2023.