Washington's overdose death rate stayed low until 2019, then passed the nation's

What this chart asks

When did Washington's rise in overdose deaths happen, compared with the nation's?

Why it is shown this way

• A line chart shows when each rise began and where the two lines cross.
• The y-axis starts at zero so the size of each rise is not exaggerated.
• Age-adjusted rates put a state and the nation on one scale.

Chart annotations

These markers provide relevant context for interpreting the chart. Their timing or position does not, by itself, establish causation.

Washington passes the U.S. rate

2022

Washington's rate was below the U.S. rate every year from 2014 to 2021 and above it from 2022.

Data and accessibility

Download chart data · Open accessible table · Download PNG · Download SVG

Dataset state-overdose-growth-2014-2024, analysis wa-us-yearly

Sources

This chart draws on the sources of the dataset versions it visualizes.

Growth in drug overdose death rates by state, 2014-2024

1. CDC National Center for Health Statistics 2014 drug overdose (drug poisoning) deaths, population, crude and age-adjusted rates by state, both sexes, all ages.

   Retrieved November 3, 2026. Public domain (U.S. government work). Permitted

   Reliability: Government. NCHS builds these figures from every death certificate filed in the U.S. through the National Vital Statistics System, the same data CDC WONDER serves. Deaths are counted by state of residence.

2. CDC National Center for Health Statistics Final age-adjusted drug overdose death rates and deaths by state of residence, 2015-2024 (map data file behind the page). Not used for 2014, where its Arizona and Arkansas rows are swapped.

   Retrieved October 18, 2026. Public domain (U.S. government work). Permitted

   Reliability: Government. Official NCHS state statistics from final National Vital Statistics System mortality files, age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population.

3. CDC National Center for Health Statistics U.S. final 2024 overdose deaths (79,384) and age-adjusted rate (23.1).

   Retrieved October 18, 2026. Public domain (U.S. government work). Permitted

   Reliability: Government. Official NCHS data brief from final 2024 mortality data.

4. CDC National Center for Health Statistics U.S. final age-adjusted rates, 2014-2023.

   Retrieved October 18, 2026. Public domain (U.S. government work). Permitted

   Reliability: Government. Official NCHS data brief from final mortality data.

5. CDC National Center for Health Statistics, Vital Statistics Rapid Release Provisional 12-month counts ending December 2024 for every state (predicted values), and Washington counts involving synthetic opioids other than methadone (T40.4), 2019-2024. Free copy

   Retrieved October 18, 2026. Public domain (U.S. government work). Permitted

   Reliability: Government. Provisional death-certificate counts by state where the death happened, updated monthly; predicted values adjust for reporting delays.

6. U.S. Census Bureau July 1, 2024 resident population by state (Vintage 2024), used to compute 2024 crude rates.

   Retrieved November 3, 2026. Public domain (U.S. government work). Permitted

   Reliability: Government. Official Census Bureau population estimates program, based on the 2020 Census plus births, deaths and migration.

7. Washington Policy Center The claim checked: executive summary of "Homelessness in Washington State" (Eric Zimmerman, March 2026).

   Retrieved November 3, 2026. All rights reserved (quoted for review). Linked, not hosted.

   Reliability: Advocacy group. Has a stake in this finding. Washington Policy Center is a free-market think tank. The report argues that drug use and drug policy, more than rent, drive Washington homelessness, so the overdose ranking supports its thesis.

8. Washington Policy Center Full report, including its method notes (crude rates; CDC WONDER 2014 and NVSS 2024 provisional data).

   Retrieved November 3, 2026. All rights reserved (quoted for review). Linked, not hosted.

   Reliability: Advocacy group. Has a stake in this finding. Same report as the executive summary; its method pages state that 2014-2024 growth uses crude rates and 2024 projected (provisional) counts.

9. KIRO Newsradio (MyNorthwest) Interview in which report author Eric Zimmerman states Washington went from 29th in 2014 to 4th in 2024.

   Retrieved November 3, 2026. All rights reserved (quoted for review). Linked, not hosted.

   Reliability: News report. Article by host John Curley quoting Zimmerman directly, July 19, 2026.

Limitations

• Timing alone does not show what caused either trend.
• State figures count deaths by state of residence.
• Final data end in 2024.