Ages 70–84 years
450.0M people globally · Rising trend
The age group that accounts for the largest share of global deaths. Cardiovascular disease remains dominant, but dementia rises sharply as a cause. Falls become a significant cause of death. The body's repair mechanisms slow, immune function declines, and the cumulative damage of a lifetime reaches its consequences.
Deaths / year
20,000,000
Deaths / day
54,795
Deaths / hour
2,283
Deaths / second
0.63
Share of all global deaths
32%
20,000,000 of 62,000,000 total deaths
Death rate
44.4 per 1,000 people per year
Population: 450,000,000
Leading Causes of Death
1
Cardiovascular disease7.5M/yr
2
Cancer4.0M/yr
3
Chronic respiratory disease2.0M/yr
4
Alzheimer's & dementia1.8M/yr
5
Diabetes800.0K/yr
Key Facts
Nearly 1 in 3 global deaths occur in the 70-84 age group — the highest share of any group
Dementia becomes a top-5 killer from age 70 onward
Falls kill over 400,000 people aged 70+ per year — most deaths occur after hip fractures
The flu kills 10-30x more people over 70 than under 70 in a typical year
In Japan, 30% of 70-84 year olds are still in the workforce or volunteering daily
Global trend
Rising
Share of world population
5.5%