Number of deceased organ donors in the U.S. by age 2023

Those aged 50 to 64 years account for the largest portion of deceased organ donors in the United States. Organs can be donated for transplantation from both living and deceased donors depending on the organ.

Organ donors in the U.S.

In 2023, there were almost 23,300 organ donors in the United States, compared to just below 6,000 in the year 1988. Kidneys are the most recovered organ from donors, followed by the liver and heart. Although the number of organ donors has increased over the years, there are still thousands of candidates waiting for an organ donation.

Organ transplantation

In 2023, there were 46,629 organ transplants in the United States. Heart transplants are still much less common than other organ transplants, but this type of transplantation has increased over the years. The average length of stay in the hospital following a heart transplantation is the longest for any organ transplantation. The average heart transplant patient stays in the hospital almost 49 days following the procedure, compared to just 7 days for kidney transplant patients.