Senior Fall Deaths Rise 17.7% in Five Years, Surpassing 200,000 Nationwide

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• Wisconsin recorded the highest senior fall death rate in the nation at 152.09 per 100,000, with 8,905 total deaths from 2020 to 2024, more than any other state relative to its senior population.

• Alabama posted the lowest rate at 26.42 per 100,000, nearly six times lower than the top-ranking state, making it the safest state for seniors when measured by fall death rate.

• Senior fall deaths rose every year from 2020 to 2024, climbing 17.7% overall and claiming more than 201,000 lives, with roughly 110 seniors dying from falls each day.

Every day in America, roughly 110 adults aged 65 and older die from a fall. Over the past five years, that daily toll has quietly compounded into one of the country’s most persistent public health crises, claiming more than 200,000 lives. The problem is not evenly distributed. Some states record death rates more than five times higher than others, revealing sharp geographic divides in how the nation’s aging population is protected.

According to the analysis by Grigor Law Injury and Car Accident Lawyers, fall-related death data for adults aged 65 and older was examined across all 50 U.S. states from 2020 through 2024 using CDC Falls Data and Research records. Rates were calculated per 100,000 seniors based on U.S. Census Bureau population estimates for 2024, allowing for fair comparison across states of different sizes.

States With the Highest Senior Fall Death Rates per 100,000

Wisconsin leads the nation with 152.09 deaths per 100,000 seniors, recording 8,905 deaths over five years. Minnesota follows at 125.08, while Oklahoma ranks third at 113.48, the only Southern state in the top 10. Vermont and South Dakota also exceeded 105 deaths per 100,000 seniors despite their smaller populations. Overall, the top 10 are dominated by Midwest and Northeast states, with eight recording rates above 100 per 100,000 seniors.

Looking at the study, Chrissy Grigoropoulos, founder of Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers, commented:

“These numbers reveal just how widespread and underrecognized the danger of falls is for older Americans. Preventing falls requires a combination of safer environments, better awareness, and access to proper medical care. Every state should treat this as a preventable crisis, not an inevitable consequence of aging.”

States With the Lowest Senior Fall Death Rates per 100,000

Alabama recorded the lowest senior fall death rate in the country at 26.42 per 100,000, with 1,262 deaths over five years, nearly six times lower than Wisconsin’s rate. New Jersey followed at 31.34, while California ranked third safest at 38.26 despite recording 12,482 deaths, the nation’s second-highest total, due to its large senior population of 6.5 million. New York also posted a low rate of 46.31 despite 8,700 deaths, highlighting the difference between total deaths and per-capita risk. Seven of the 10 safest states are in the South, which has high total fall deaths but lower rates after adjusting for population.

Senior Fall Deaths Rose 17.7% Nationwide From 2020 to 2024

Deaths rose every year over the five years, resulting in 6,493 additional deaths by 2024. The largest annual increases came in 2021 (+6.1%) and 2022 (+5.6%), followed by a brief slowdown in 2023 before deaths rose again in 2024.

Regional Breakdown of Senior Fall Death Rates Across the U.S.

The Midwest leads all regions with an average senior fall death rate of 85.46 per 100,000, while the South records the lowest regional rate at 61.77 per 100,000. Despite having the lowest rate, the South accounts for the highest total number of deaths at 72,624, largely due to its senior population of 23.2 million. Only 29 of 50 states exceed the weighted national rate of 65.84 per 100,000 seniors, highlighting significant differences in fall-related mortality across the country.

Methodology

Data on fall-related deaths among adults aged 65 and older were sourced from the CDC Falls Data and Research portal, which draws on the CDC WISQARS (Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System). Death counts cover the period from 2020 through 2024 across all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. State-level senior population estimates for adults aged 65 and older were sourced from U.S. Census Bureau data for 2024. The slip and fall death rate for each state was calculated by dividing the average annual deaths over the five years by the state’s 2024 senior population, then multiplying by 100,000. The District of Columbia was included in national totals but excluded from the 50-state ranking due to its non-state status. All rankings are based on the per-capita rate rather than raw death counts to allow fair comparison across states of different population sizes.

Data Sources

• CDC Falls Data and Research: https://www.cdc.gov/falls/data-research/index.html
• Research Dataset: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wrlhqvge2a0CW7KH4HAJOYty_88uP3uGkHvEuKu60oc/edit?gid=0#gid=0
• Research by: https://grigorlaw.com/

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