SYDNEY, Oct 27 2026, Dementia was Australia’s leading cause of death in 2025, accounting for more than 10% of all registered deaths, according to official data.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reported 19,019 dementia-related deaths last year. This was an increase from 18,291 deaths in 2024.
The figures include deaths linked to Alzheimer’s disease, a common form of dementia.
Heart Disease Remains the Second-Leading Cause
Ischaemic heart disease ranked second, causing 16,228 deaths, or 8.6% of the total.
However, the death rate from this condition fell to its lowest level since Australian records began in 1968.
Cerebrovascular disease, lung cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease completed the top five causes of death. Together, these five leading causes accounted for 33.3% of all registered deaths.
Australia recorded 188,421 deaths in 2025, an increase of 1,153 from the previous year.
Despite the rise in total deaths, the age-standardised death rate fell from 507.8 to 495.5 deaths per 100,000 people. The ABS said this pointed to a return towards pre-pandemic mortality trends.
Dementia Deaths Rise Over the Past Decade
The data showed that dementia-related deaths increased by 37.3% over the past 10 years.
In contrast, deaths caused by ischaemic heart disease fell by 16.2%, while deaths linked to cerebrovascular disease declined by 12.1%.
Accidental falls also became a growing concern. They ranked as Australia’s seventh-leading cause of death in 2025, claiming 5,519 lives. This represented a 59.5% increase compared with 2016.
Meanwhile, influenza and pneumonia caused 4,382 deaths, accounting for 2.3% of all registered deaths and ranking 11th among the leading causes.
The male age-standardised death rate also reached a record low of 581.3 deaths per 100,000 people in 2025, according to the ABS.
Source: BERNAMA | Rewritten By Minutesmy
Picture Credit: WION
