Last year 187,268 people died in Australia – here are nine key takeaways

Dementia killed 17,500 Australians last year and is now the country’s leading cause of death, driven by its heavy toll on older women.

New figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show shifting mortality patterns. Here are eight top takeaways:

1. Dementia has overtaken heart disease

More than 17,500 Australians died (median age 88.7) from dementia in 2024, accounting for 9.4% of all deaths.

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