What does this measure?
The number of deaths per year, expressed as an age-adjusted rate per 100,000 residents.
Why is this important?
In addition to ending a life tragically, a death by drug overdose profoundly affects surviving relatives and friends. Rising drug overdose deaths can reflect increasing rates of addiction, more potent and dangerous substances, inadequate systems to treat and support addicts, and other worrisome trends.
How does our county compare?
In 2023, Lancaster County's mortality rate from drug poisoning was 16 per 100,000 residents, an increase of 101% since 2010. Lancaster had a lower rate than the state's 34 per 100,000. Lancaster's rate was also lower than Dauphin (34 per 100,000), York (27 per 100,000), and Berks and Lebanon (both 26 per 100,000).
Notes about the data
Rates have been adjusted for differences in age and gender among the geographies.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 12.5 | 15.4 | 16.3 | 16.9 | 19.3 | 23.8 | 34.6 | 41.2 | 33.3 | 33.1 | 38.7 | 40.3 | 37.7 | 33.7 |
| Lancaster County | 7.7 | 10.1 | 10.1 | 9.9 | 12.0 | 14.3 | 23.1 | 33.1 | 23.4 | 21.1 | 28.2 | 28.4 | 21.9 | 15.5 |
| Berks County | 3.4 | 5.2 | 10.0 | 10.6 | 13.7 | 9.9 | 23.7 | 25.6 | 20.6 | 29.3 | 32.1 | 30.5 | 30.2 | 25.9 |
| Chester County | 9.3 | 12.2 | 10.9 | 9.1 | 13.7 | 15.4 | 22.4 | 32.6 | 27.9 | 25.1 | 21.9 | 19.0 | 21.3 | 15.1 |
| Cumberland County | 7.4 | 9.6 | 8.4 | 8.6 | 11.2 | 12.7 | 23.9 | 31.9 | 21.3 | 16.2 | 21.6 | 17.0 | 13.7 | 12.5 |
| Dauphin County | 6.2 | 11.3 | 10.3 | 12.0 | 18.2 | 17.0 | 27.9 | 31.7 | 40.0 | 32.6 | 35.5 | 32.5 | 33.2 | 33.9 |
| Lebanon County | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 13.6 | 19.4 | 12.5 | 16.1 | 14.1 | 19.8 | 34.9 | 26.2 | 24.0 | 25.9 |
| York County | 9.5 | 10.7 | 13.6 | 13.1 | 25.9 | 21.5 | 20.3 | 30.1 | 27.9 | 23.5 | 45.1 | 30.1 | 30.1 | 27.0 |
Notes: Rates per 100,000 residents. Rates are age- and sex-adjusted. Data not available for all geographies.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 1,550 | 1,909 | 2,026 | 2,096 | 2,393 | 2,922 | 4,209 | 4,982 | 4,041 | 4,043 | 4,803 | 5,064 | 4,757 | 4,313 |
| Lancaster County | 39 | 50 | 48 | 49 | 62 | 71 | 113 | 170 | 112 | 102 | 141 | 140 | 110 | 78 |
| Berks County | 13 | 20 | 39 | 42 | 56 | 41 | 94 | 100 | 84 | 117 | 126 | 123 | 123 | 111 |
| Chester County | 43 | 63 | 55 | 43 | 68 | 76 | 109 | 156 | 136 | 117 | 111 | 102 | 111 | 85 |
| Cumberland County | 17 | 23 | 20 | 21 | 25 | 30 | 55 | 73 | 50 | 36 | 55 | 44 | 37 | 32 |
| Dauphin County | 17 | 31 | 29 | 33 | 50 | 48 | 74 | 81 | 104 | 90 | 96 | 90 | 96 | 97 |
| Lebanon County | 4 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 17 | 23 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 25 | 42 | 32 | 30 | 35 |
| York County | 44 | 46 | 60 | 56 | 106 | 87 | 83 | 125 | 118 | 97 | 191 | 131 | 131 | 120 |
