Heart disease was the second-leading cause of death and is responsible for 1 in every 5 deaths among those who live in Tarrant County, according to August 2025 data from Tarrant County Public Health.
However, Tarrant County ranked lower than the Texas and United State averages in heart disease death from 2019-24, according to reports from the county and the Texas Department of State Health Services.
The overview
Heart disease includes conditions such as coronary heart disease, coronary artery disease, angina and health-care-provider-diagnosed heart attacks, the reports state.
From 2015-24, the percentage of adults 18 and older with heart disease dipped slightly from 5.9% to 5.5% in Tarrant County. Heart disease was the top cause of death for males, non-Hispanic black residents, non-Hispanic white residents and people 65 and older, according to data from the county.
Compared to the state of Texas and the United States as a whole, Tarrant County ranked lower in heart disease mortality rate. Tarrant County resident mortality from heart disease accounted for 143.9 deaths per 100,000 people. Texas had 170 deaths per 100,000 residents, and the United States was slightly lower at 162.2 people.
According to the county's health data, risk factors for heart disease include medical conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Other factors that weigh into heart disease are lifestyle factors, including heavy alcohol consumption, being overweight, smoking and lack of physical activity.
Ways to reduce heart disease risk include healthy eating, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, regular exercise and maintaining medical conditions like blood pressure, cholesterol, taking medication as prescribed and controlling insulin levels.
