Boys and Men’s Issues – Death

Listed below are national statistics. For statistics specific to the Seattle area or Washington state, please see our series of blog posts on Seattle and Washington. Contact us if you want local statistics, if you have statistics to offer, or if you are willing to help with research.

Directory of major topics for boys’ and men’s issues
Death RatesK-12 EducationSpecial Education
Higher Education
and Labor Force Participation
Educational Attainment
of Young Adults
Other Indicators

Gender Equality in Death Rates

Boys and men die at significantly higher rates than girls and women in many categories, including homicides, suicides, workplace deaths, opioid deaths, alcohol-related deaths, and infant deaths. The percentages provided below draw attention to the inequality between males and females, with latest-available statistics rounded to the nearest 5%.

Gender equality in death rates calls for a country in which…

  • fewer boys die between birth and 27 days (currently 25% more boys than girls)
  • fewer boys die between 27 days and 1 year (currently 30% more boys than girls)
  • fewer boys die between age 1 and 4 (currently 30% more boys than girls)
  • fewer boys die between age 5 and 14 (currently 35% more boys than girls)
  • fewer men die between age 15 and 24 (currently 160% more men than women)
  • fewer men die between age 25 and 34 (currently 130% more men than women)
  • fewer men die between age 35 and 44 (currently 75% more men than women)
    Source: Centers for Disease Control, Deaths: Final Data for 2017

Gender equality in death rates calls for a country in which…

  • fewer boys ages 0 to 1 die of homicide (currently 25% more boys than girls)
  • fewer boys ages 1 to 4 die of homicide (currently 40% more boys than girls)
  • fewer boys ages 5 to 8 die of homicide (currently 25% more boys than girls)
  • fewer boys ages 9 to 12 die of homicide (currently 20% more boys than girls)
  • fewer boys ages 13 to 16 die of homicide (currently 270% more boys than girls)
  • fewer boys ages 17 to 19 die of homicide (currently 545% more boys than girls)
    Source: U.S. Department of Justice, 2010-2019 (research by GIBM)

Gender equality in death rates calls for a country in which…

Gender equality in death rates calls for a country in which…

Gender equality in death rates calls for a country in which…

Gender equality in death rates calls for a country in which…

  • fewer men ages 15 to 19 commit suicide (currently 195% more men than women)
  • fewer men ages 20 to 24 commit suicide (currently 345% more men than women)
  • fewer men ages 25 to 29 commit suicide (currently 320% more men than women)
    Source: Centers for Disease Control, Deaths, 2015

Gender equality in death rates calls for a country in which…

  • fewer men ages 15 to 19 die of homicide (currently 540% more men than women)
  • fewer men ages 20 to 24 die of homicide (currently 620% more men than women)
  • fewer men ages 25 to 29 die of homicide (currently 480% more men than women)
  • fewer men ages 30 to 34 die of homicide (currently 390% more men than women)
    Source: Centers for Disease Control, Deaths, 2015

Gender equality in death rates calls for a country in which…

  • fewer men die in war (4,400% more men than women died in Operation Enduring Freedom)
  • fewer men die in war (3,800% more men than women died in Operation Iraqi Freedom)
    Source: Congressional Research Service, American War Casualties, 2020

(This list is based mostly on “For Every 100 Girls…2020 Update” compiled by Tom Mortenson and originally published by Education Week on March 28, 2011; updated in 2020 by Professor Mark J. Perry.)