The New York City Health Department has released its 2025 Heat-Related Mortality Report showing that on average more than 500 New Yorkers die each summer from heat-related causes.
“Climate change is a driving factor for the rising temperatures across New York City. This shift is leading to unjust heat-related deaths, for Black New Yorkers and for low wealth New Yorkers,” said Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse.
Between 2018 and 2022, there were about 525 heat-related deaths each year, representing around 3 percent of all summer deaths from May through September. Most of these are heat-exacerbated deaths, where high temperatures worsen existing health conditions such as heart disease, while about five deaths each year are caused directly by heat stress.
The report reveals heat-related mortality has increased over the past decade as New York City’s climate has warmed, with numbers holding steady at over 500 deaths each summer. The risk is especially severe for Black New Yorkers and low-income communities who face longstanding health and housing inequities.
Many of those who die are in homes without air conditioning, with structural racism and historic redlining shaping who has access to safe, cool housing. Living without an air conditioner or being unable to afford using one remains the biggest risk factor for heat-related deaths.
About 100 deaths each year are linked to the most extreme heat days that meet the National Weather Service advisory threshold for New York City. Many other deaths occur on days that are simply hot, even if they fall below the extreme heat advisory threshold, with temperatures above 82 degrees still proving dangerous.
The number of these hot but not extreme days has increased over the past decade faster than the number of extreme heat days. Meanwhile, rates of home air conditioning have remained steady after earlier decades of growth, leaving many at risk as indoor temperatures can stay higher than outdoor ones for days after a heat wave.
To help address the crisis, the Essential Plan Cooling Program is providing free air conditioners to New Yorkers enrolled in the Essential Plan who have persistent asthma. The city’s long-term climate plan, PlaNYC: Getting Sustainability Done, will require cooling in all new housing starting in 2025 and aims to develop maximum indoor temperature regulations by 2030 while using programs like HEAP to help residents stay cool.
Residents can find relief during heat waves through the city’s network of cooling centers and other air-conditioned public spaces listed on the newly revamped Cool Options Map. This summer, New Yorkers are encouraged to check the map for libraries, malls, museums and other safe places to escape the heat.
“This report lays out a grim reality: each summer, extreme heat kills more than 500 New Yorkers, most of them in their own homes without air conditioning,” said NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol.
The city has also expanded partnerships to increase the number of cooling centers available, including pet-friendly locations. To stay updated on extreme heat and other emergencies, residents can sign up for Notify NYC by calling 311 or using the Notify NYC app.
