New York City Drug Overdose Statistics — 2024

New York City recorded 2,192 unintentional drug overdose deaths in 2024, a 28% decrease from 3,056 deaths in 2023. This marked the first substantial annual decline in nearly a decade of escalating overdose mortality. Despite the improvement, nearly six New Yorkers died from overdose every day in 2024, and significant racial and geographic inequities persist. Source: NYC DOHMH Epi Data Brief No. 150 (October 2025).

NYC Overdose Deaths by Year

New York City overdose deaths increased dramatically over the past decade, driven primarily by the introduction of illicit fentanyl into the drug supply. The 2024 figure of 2,192 represents the first meaningful reversal of this trend. For context: there were approximately 600 overdose deaths per year in NYC in 2000; the number more than quadrupled over the following two decades. The 2024 decline mirrors a national trend — U.S. overdose deaths fell approximately 27% to an estimated 80,391 in 2024, according to federal data.

NYC Overdose Deaths by Borough

All five boroughs saw decreases in 2024. The Bronx continues to have the highest overdose death rate — more than double the rate of Manhattan, which has the second-highest rate in the city. Staten Island saw the largest percentage decline, approximately 49%, building on years of targeted investment in buprenorphine access and community services. Brooklyn and Queens saw meaningful decreases but continue to bear substantial burdens in specific neighborhoods. The highest-burden neighborhoods in 2024 were Hunts Point-Mott Haven, Highbridge-Morrisania, Crotona-Tremont (all Bronx), East Harlem (Manhattan), and Fordham-Bronx Park (Bronx). Source: NYC DOHMH Epi Data Brief No. 150.

Dominant Substances in NYC Overdose Deaths

Fentanyl was involved in 73% of NYC overdose deaths in 2024, down from 80% in 2023. Xylazine — the veterinary sedative that cannot be reversed by naloxone — was present in 21% of 2024 deaths. Cocaine co-involvement remains significant, particularly in Brooklyn and the Bronx. Alcohol co-involvement is chronically underreported in overdose data but contributes meaningfully to mortality, particularly in combination with opioids and benzodiazepines. Methamphetamine-involved deaths are rising in specific ZIP codes.

Racial and Demographic Disparities

Black and Latino New Yorkers each saw 29% reductions in overdose deaths in 2024 — the first such decrease since 2018 — but continue to die at roughly twice the rate of white New Yorkers. This disparity reflects decades of structural inequity in access to treatment, housing stability, and harm reduction resources. Men account for approximately 70% of overdose deaths. The median age of overdose death in NYC is in the late 40s, reflecting the cohort most severely affected by the opioid transition from prescription pills to heroin to fentanyl.

Where Do Overdoses Happen in NYC?

Approximately 70% of New York City overdose deaths occur inside a residence — not on the street or in public spaces. This means most overdoses are not witnessed by people with access to naloxone in the critical window. Fentanyl test strips, naloxone distribution, and OPC access are harm reduction strategies designed to reach people in private settings. The two onsite overdose prevention centers — OnPoint NYC Harlem (360 W. 125th St) and OnPoint NYC Bronx (126 E. 174th St) — serve an important role but reach only a fraction of those at risk.