Coronary heart disease and stroke death rates were compared for six ethnic groups (non-Hispanic white, Hispanic, African-American, Chinese, Japanese, and Asian Indian) by sex and age (25 to 44, 45 to 64, 65 to 84, and 25 to 84 years old) using California census and 1985 to 1990 death data. African-American men and women in all age groups had the highest rates of death from coronary heart disease, stroke, and all causes (except for coronary heart disease in the oldest men). Hispanics, Chinese, and Japanese in all age-sex groups had comparatively low death rates for coronary heart disease and stroke, although stroke was proportionally an important cause of death for Chinese and Japanese groups. Coronary heart disease was an important cause of death for Asian Indians although death rates were generally not higher than those for other ethnic groups. Ethnic differences were most marked for women and younger age groups.