Boston Reports 2024 Overdose Deaths Were At Their Lowest Since 2015

New data analyzed by the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) has indicated a 38% decrease in opioid overdose deaths in the city in 2024 compared to 2023. This percentage reflects the lowest number the city has attained since 2015. 

According to an NBC10 News Boston report, opioid-related deaths dropped by 59% for Black men and 52% for Latino men. These groups have been disproportionately affected by opioid-related overdose deaths in recent years. Black and Latino residents make up approximately 40% of Boston's population and represent only 46% of all overdose deaths in 2024. 

In a February 2025 report, the BPHC reported that unintentional drug overdose was the primary cause of early deaths in Boston from 2020 to 2023. According to the BPHC, in 2024, Boston gave out more than 23,000 doses of naloxone, a drug that can counter the effects of opioid overdose. 

Data recently released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed an approximately 26% decline in drug overdose deaths across the country from 2023 to 2024.