The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare had the grim task of counting 765,911 deaths across five years to compile an interactive table.

According to this data, Wagga’s top three killers did not stray far from the nation-wide results. 

Coronary heart disease topped the ladder, accounting for close to 14 per cent of all deaths between the 2012 and 2016 census. 

The second biggest killer was dementia, which was 7 per cent above the national mortality rate for the disease. 

Strokes and lung cancer followed these leading causes of death. 

Almost 40 per cent of the city’s former residents were found to have died from these issues, according to the national health data. 

National health data showed about 40 per cent of deaths in Australia were also due to heart attacks, dementia, lung cancer, strokes, lung disease and diabetes.

Heart attacks remained the biggest cause of death across the country, according to the data. 

However Wagga experienced a higher rate of lung cancer, heart attacks and dementia, when compared to the rest of the country. 

That could be a sign that there was – and could still be – a high proportion of smokers or unhealthy people across the city.

The AIHW data showed the median age of Australians who died between 2012 and 2016 was 78 for men and 84 for women.

Heart disease was the biggest killer for those aged between 45-64 and people over the age of 75. Heart attacks are a distinct second among those aged between 65 and 74, as that is the age you are most likely to succumb to lung cancer.

Among those aged between 15 to 44, suicide was the most common cause of death.

If you are troubled by this report or experiencing a personal crisis, you can call Lifeline 131 114 or beyondblue 1300 224 636 or visit lifeline.org.au or beyondblue.org.au