placestats

Drug overdose deaths

Deaths from drug overdose per 100,000 people, from any drug.

Reported for1,774areas, in 51 states — none in PR
Link to density0.02not mostly about how urban a place is
Nearby places alike0.52Moran’s I: strongly, neighbouring places tend to be similar
Typeratedeaths per 100,000

How it has moved

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Every state, every year

One row per state and one column per year, sorted by the latest value. It shows states, not counties: nobody can scan 3,222 rows, and the pattern only shows when it all fits on one screen.

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Where it comes from

County Health Rankings · County Health Rankings v138
University of Wisconsin · 13 releases, 2013–2025; each value filed under the last year its data covers, 2010–2023 · 95% likely ranges, converted to 90%; figures based on small counts are withheld

Source: County Health Rankings, which compiles each measure from its own source and filed here under the last year of the period it covers.

Combining areas: an average weighted by population.

What it goes with

The strongest links that have a page of their own. Unadjusted is the link before adjusting for anything, from −1 (opposite) to +1 (in step). Adjusted compares places with the same population density, income and education levels, so those differences can’t explain the link. This list leaves out the 2 pairs built from the same numbers or the same model as this measure, since they are bound to match.

MeasureUnadjustedAdjusted
Drug overdose deaths and Years of potential life lostWhere Drug overdose deaths is higher, Years of potential life lost tends to be higher: a moderate link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Years of potential life lost by US county+0.57+0.53
Drug overdose deaths and Premature mortalityWhere Drug overdose deaths is higher, Premature mortality tends to be higher: a moderate link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Premature mortality by US county+0.51+0.44
Drug overdose deaths and Life expectancyWhere Drug overdose deaths is higher, Life expectancy tends to be lower: a moderate link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Life expectancy by US county-0.49-0.42
Drug overdose deaths and Frequent mental distressWhere Drug overdose deaths is higher, Frequent mental distress tends to be higher: a moderate link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Frequent mental distress by US county+0.46+0.42
Drug overdose deaths and ArthritisWhere Drug overdose deaths is higher, Arthritis tends to be higher: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Arthritis by US county+0.45+0.36
Drug overdose deaths and DepressionWhere Drug overdose deaths is higher, Depression tends to be higher: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Depression by US county+0.39+0.34
Drug overdose deaths and Current asthmaWhere Drug overdose deaths is higher, Current asthma tends to be higher: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Current asthma by US county+0.39+0.32
Drug overdose deaths and Health scoreWhere Drug overdose deaths is higher, Health score tends to be lower: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Health score by US county-0.39-0.31
Drug overdose deaths and Current cigarette smokingWhere Drug overdose deaths is higher, Current cigarette smoking tends to be higher: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Current cigarette smoking by US county+0.39+0.31
Drug overdose deaths and Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseWhere Drug overdose deaths is higher, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease tends to be higher: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by US county+0.40+0.30

Population makeup

How this measure varies with the racial and ethnic makeup of counties. Every group is shown, whatever its rank. These are links across counties: they describe places, not people. They say nothing about any person’s risk or behaviour based on their race. Counties with a larger share of one group also differ in much else, such as income, segregation, region and history. The adjusted figure only accounts for density, income and education.

Share of residentsUnadjustedAdjusted
Drug overdose deaths and Share White, not HispanicCould easily be chance once only places with similar density, income and education are compared. Share White, not Hispanic by US county+0.11+0.14
Drug overdose deaths and Share Black, not HispanicCould easily be chance once only places with similar density, income and education are compared. Share Black, not Hispanic by US county+0.07-0.07
Drug overdose deaths and Share Hispanic or Latino, any raceCould easily be chance once only places with similar density, income and education are compared. Share Hispanic or Latino, any race by US county-0.15-0.13
Drug overdose deaths and Share Asian, not HispanicCould easily be chance once only places with similar density, income and education are compared. Share Asian, not Hispanic by US county-0.14-0.04
Drug overdose deaths and Share American Indian or Alaska Native, not HispanicCould easily be chance once only places with similar density, income and education are compared. Share American Indian or Alaska Native, not Hispanic by US county+0.14+0.13

Highest and lowest

Of 1,774 counties reporting it. These are the two ends of a national ranking. For most measures, that ranking mostly sorts places by income and how urban they are. That is why the place pages compare each place with similar places instead.

Highest

  1. McDowell County, WV — 181
  2. Logan County, WV — 164
  3. Baltimore city, MD — 144
  4. Raleigh County, WV — 138
  5. Cabell County, WV — 132

Lowest

  1. Hidalgo County, TX — 5.37
  2. Cameron County, TX — 6.05
  3. Limestone County, AL — 6.55
  4. Gallatin County, MT — 7.14
  5. Lincoln County, SD — 7.43

The middle area reports 30. The middle half of counties falls between 20.8 and 41.8 (the 25th to 75th percentile).

All measures · Explore its pairs · How the US county data works