The Top Cause of Death in Maine Revealed

Inventor and statesman Benjamin Franklin is often given credit for the quote, "But in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes”.

Back in the 1700s, this quote was definitely true.  These days, I think we can all agree that, assuming you have enough power and money, the only certain is death.

It is a part of life that we are all going to have to face.  It may be a few days from now, or it may be many decades in the future, but we are all going to die.

As we take a trip down this morbid rabbit-hole, have you ever thought about the most-common causes of death in the state of Maine?  What are they?

Thanks to data from the Centers for Disease Control, we know.

5 – Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases – This one kind of surprised us, because we don’t often think of bronchitis and asthma as being fatal.  However, this group of diseases also includes emphysema and other smoking-related medical issues.

4 – Accidents – In 2021, 1,286 Mainers lost their lives because of accidents.  Of course, we think of this as being motor vehicle related, but it really could be nearly trauma-related issue, like falling through thin ice on the lake, falling off your bicycle, or falling off the roof while putting up Christmas lights.

3 – COVID-19 – As this data was collected in 2021, it does not surprise us that the coronavirus was near the top of the list.  Of course, even though the pandemic is far in the rearview, the virus still claims a few people each month.

2 – Heart Disease – In 2021, over 3,000 Mainers lost their lives due to heart disease.

1 – Cancer – This wide-ranging cause of death category covers everything from lung cancer, to brain tumors, to melanoma.  In 2021, over 3,300 Maine residents lost their lives due to cancer.

Some of the other leading causes of death for Maine include stroke, diabetes, suicide, and Alzheimer's.

Of course, we hope that you have a very long, healthy, life.  Please don't spend your entire life working and worrying.  There is so much to enjoy in this great state we call home.