New Jersey Leads in Falling Death Rates | Philadelphia News

Philadelphia News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 27, 2026 · 1m

New Jersey’s death rate has plummeted by 8.3% since 2015, part of a national trend toward historic lows fueled by drops in drug overdoses, gun violence, and car crashes—especially among young people. Experts credit expanded healthcare access, stricter speed laws, and tighter gun controls. But not all states are improving: New Mexico’s death rate is rising, driven by fentanyl epidemics. While data is provisional and recent policy effects are still unfolding, gun suicides have climbed since 2015, and racial disparities persist—some groups are seeing rising death rates while others see declines…