The National Center for Health Statistics reported over 250,000 deaths attributed to dementia in 2017. This includes deaths from Alzheimer's Disease, unspecified dementia, and other degenerative nervous system diseases.
Many of the states with the lowest rates were in the West, said Ellen Kramarow, one of the report's authors.
"In 2017, there were 349 deaths attributed to dementia in Wyoming," she said.
Kramarow said they don't know why there are fewer deaths from dementia in western states.
The report also stated more women's deaths were attributed to dementia than men, and non-Hispanic Caucasian people also had a higher rate of death from dementia than other groups.
Kramarow said the rate of death from dementia has more than doubled since 2000, but that could be attributed to people living longer.
"So as people are living longer and not dying of other causes, they are more likely to survive to very old ages where the risk of dementia is the highest," she said.
According to the Wyoming Department of Health, by 2030 over one-fifth of the state's population will be 65 or older. Dementia-attributed deaths primarily affect those who are 65 and older. The age group with the highest mortality for dementia is 85 plus.
