South Africa vs United States: Homicides (World Health)
South Africa
19,488 deaths
in 2021
United States
19,110 deaths
in 2021
South Africa rank
4th
United States rank
5th
Homicides (World Health) over time
- South Africa
- United States
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 19,488 deaths against 19,110 deaths in United States, a difference of 378 deaths.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 22 shared years of data; in 2000 it was South Africa ahead.
South Africa ranks 4th and United States ranks 5th of 194 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 20,519 deaths | 18,576 deaths | 1,943 deaths | South Africa |
| 2010s | 20,455 deaths | 18,048 deaths | 2,407 deaths | South Africa |
| 2020s | 19,841 deaths | 19,136 deaths | 705.25 deaths | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher homicides, South Africa or United States?
- South Africa, at 19,488 deaths against 19,110 deaths in United States as of 2021.
- What is the difference in homicides between South Africa and United States?
- 378 deaths, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and United States?
- 22 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2021.
- How do South Africa and United States rank globally for homicides?
- South Africa ranks 4th and United States ranks 5th of 194 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Health Organization (2024) β with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Homicides. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Estimated number of deaths from interpersonal violence in both sexes.