Dementia has officially reached a sobering milestone in Australian public health, accounting for more than 10 per cent of all deaths across the nation for the first time on record.
Newly released figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Causes of Death, Australia 2025 report confirm that dementia remains Australia’s leading cause of death.
In Short
- Sobering Milestone: Dementia now accounts for more than 10 per cent of all Australian deaths, doubling its proportion of nationwide mortality since 2006.
- Leading Cause of Death: ABS data confirms dementia remains the country's single largest killer, with diagnoses projected to exceed one million by 2065.
- Severe Gender Disparity: Women represent 61.1 per cent of all dementia fatalities, dying from the condition at nearly double the rate of coronary heart disease.
- Urgent Investment Needed: Dementia Australia is calling for escalated federal backing under the National Dementia Action Plan while highlighting 24/7 helpline access.
The current rate represents almost double the figures recorded by the ABS two decades ago in 2006, when dementia was the fourth leading cause of death and accounted for 5 per cent of total mortality nationwide.
The latest ABS data highlights a stark gender disparity in the impact of the condition. Dementia has remained the leading cause of death for Australian women since 2016, with women now accounting for 61.1 per cent of all dementia-related deaths.
Furthermore, the report shows there were almost twice as many deaths from dementia among women than from ischaemic heart diseases, which stands as the second leading cause of death for female Australians.
Dementia Australia Chief Executive Officer Professor Tanya Buchanan stated that the latest figures reinforce an urgent need for government action, increased funding, and broader public awareness to address the growing public health challenge.
“The data underlines the critical need for more recognition and funding to support people living with dementia, their families and carers,” Professor Buchanan said. “Despite the growing impact of dementia, investment in specific services, supports and prevention have not kept the same pace, and the stigma that surrounds dementia continues. This needs to change.”
Currently, an estimated 446,500 Australians live with dementia, supported by an additional 1.7 million carers and family members across the country. Healthcare modeling projects that without significant public health interventions, the total number of Australians living with dementia will surge to more than one million by 2065.
Professor Buchanan confirmed that Dementia Australia will maintain strong advocacy for ongoing structural investment under the National Dementia Action Plan to improve care quality, diagnostic pathways, and community support frameworks.
Dementia Australia urges anyone in the community navigating a diagnosis or supporting a loved one to access free, confidential assistance.
The National Dementia Helpline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing expert information and support to people impacted by any form of dementia across all age groups.
For confidential guidance, information, or support, contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500 or visit dementia.org.au.
Public Health Terms Explained
- Dementia: An overarching clinical term encompassing more than 100 progressive neurological disorders—including Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia—characterised by cognitive decline, memory impairment, and diminished daily functioning.
- Ischaemic Heart Disease: Cardiovascular disease caused by narrowed coronary arteries reducing blood flow to the heart muscle, standing as the second leading cause of death for Australian women.
- National Dementia Action Plan: A ten-year joint Commonwealth and state government strategy aimed at improving early diagnosis, standardising palliative pathways, and expanding support for community carers.
