Dementia Deaths Rise in Germany, Now Leading Cause for Women

The number of deaths in Germany where dementia was the registered cause increased by 4.4% in 2024, reaching 61,927, according to government statistics released today.

This figure represents a significant jump, being 23.2% higher than the average between 2015 and 2024. Of those deaths, 37,109 were women, making dementia the single leading cause of death for females in Germany, surpassing even coronary heart disease and heart failure. For men, the top three causes of death remained coronary heart disease, lung and bronchial tumors, and myocardial infarctions.

While higher life expectancy among women contributes to the disproportionate number of dementia deaths, experts suggest other, currently unknown factors may also play a role. The rising rates underscore the growing public health challenge posed by neurodegenerative diseases, potentially straining healthcare systems and social support networks. Overall, heart and circulatory diseases, along with malignant tumors, continue to be the most common causes of death for both genders, accounting for 56.5% of all fatalities in 2024. You can learn more about dementia and its global impact from the World Health Organization.

Despite the increase in dementia-related deaths, the total number of deaths in Germany in 2024 – 1.01 million – was approximately 2% lower than the previous year. Further analysis of these trends is expected to inform future healthcare policy and resource allocation, as detailed in reports from Germany’s Federal Statistical Office (Destatis).