Intentional homicides in North America
North America: Intentional homicides was 5.4 per 100,000 people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Intentional homicides in North America, 2010–2023
Source: UNODC Research - Data Portal – Intentional Homicide, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Measured in per 100,000 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for intentional homicides in North America is 5.4 per 100,000 people, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 11.5% on the previous year and up 28.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, intentional homicides in North America peaked at 6.3 per 100,000 people in 2021 and was at its lowest, 4.1 per 100,000 people, in 2014.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.
Intentional homicides in North America, year by year
| Year | per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 4.4 per 100,000 people | — |
| 2011 | 4.4 per 100,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 4.4 per 100,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 4.2 per 100,000 people | -4.5% |
| 2014 | 4.1 per 100,000 people | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 4.6 per 100,000 people | +12.2% |
| 2016 | 4.9 per 100,000 people | +6.5% |
| 2017 | 4.9 per 100,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 4.6 per 100,000 people | -6.1% |
| 2019 | 4.6 per 100,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 5.9 per 100,000 people | +28.3% |
| 2021 | 6.3 per 100,000 people | +6.8% |
| 2022 | 6.1 per 100,000 people | -3.2% |
| 2023 | 5.4 per 100,000 people | -11.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 4.51 per 100,000 people | 4.1 per 100,000 people | 4.9 per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.92 per 100,000 people | 5.4 per 100,000 people | 6.3 per 100,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near North America
- 7 South Africa 43.72 per 100,000 people compare
- 8 Haiti 41.15 per 100,000 people compare
- 9 Trinidad and Tobago 40.44 per 100,000 people compare
- 10 Saint Lucia 39.04 per 100,000 people compare
- 11 Lesotho 38.24 per 100,000 people
- 12 Bahamas 32.2 per 100,000 people compare
- 13 Honduras 31.44 per 100,000 people compare
More public sector data for North America
- Arms imports 1.36 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 3.56 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 56.45 % change on previous year (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 1.36 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 2,692 current USD per person (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per unit of GDP 0.0325 current USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), annual growth rate 8.84 % change on previous year (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), gaps filled 1.03 trillion current USD (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per square kilometre 48.39 SIPRI trend indicator values per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is intentional homicides in North America?
- Intentional homicides in North America was 5.4 per 100,000 people in 2023, according to UNODC Research - Data Portal – Intentional Homicide, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
- What is the highest intentional homicides recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 6.3 per 100,000 people in 2021.
- What is the lowest intentional homicides recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.1 per 100,000 people in 2014.
- How does North America rank for intentional homicides?
- North America ranks 10th out of 18 groups with data for 2023.
- Is intentional homicides rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 28.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North America data come from?
- The figures come from UNODC Research - Data Portal – Intentional Homicide, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), published as part of Intentional homicides (per 100,000 people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 14 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
An intentional homicide is defined as an unlawful death inflicted upon a person with the intent to cause death or serious injury.