Statizoid

Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in Jamaica

Jamaica: Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 was 49.44 homicides per 100,000 population in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
49.44 homicides per 100,000 population
Change on year
down 6.9%
World rank
5th
of 178 countries
All-time high
62.3 homicides per 100,000 population
in 2005
All-time low
22.86 homicides per 100,000 population
in 1990
Years of data
34
1990–2023

Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in Jamaica, 1990–2023

02040601990200620231990: 22.9 homicides per 100,000 population1991: 23.6 homicides per 100,000 population1992: 26.1 homicides per 100,000 population1993: 26.8 homicides per 100,000 population1994: 28 homicides per 100,000 population1995: 31.2 homicides per 100,000 population1996: 36.6 homicides per 100,000 population1997: 40.7 homicides per 100,000 population1998: 33.4 homicides per 100,000 population1999: 33 homicides per 100,000 population2000: 34 homicides per 100,000 population2001: 43.4 homicides per 100,000 population2002: 39.6 homicides per 100,000 population2003: 36.7 homicides per 100,000 population2004: 55 homicides per 100,000 population2005: 62.3 homicides per 100,000 population2006: 49.6 homicides per 100,000 population2007: 58.4 homicides per 100,000 population2008: 59.4 homicides per 100,000 population2009: 61.5 homicides per 100,000 population2010: 52.6 homicides per 100,000 population2011: 41 homicides per 100,000 population2012: 39.7 homicides per 100,000 population2013: 43.2 homicides per 100,000 population2014: 36 homicides per 100,000 population2015: 43.1 homicides per 100,000 population2016: 48.2 homicides per 100,000 population2017: 58.5 homicides per 100,000 population2018: 45.7 homicides per 100,000 population2019: 47.5 homicides per 100,000 population2020: 47.1 homicides per 100,000 population2021: 51.9 homicides per 100,000 population2022: 53.1 homicides per 100,000 population2023: 49.4 homicides per 100,000 population

Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in homicides per 100,000 population.

Analysis

The most recent figure for homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in Jamaica is 49.44 homicides per 100,000 population, measured in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.9% on the previous year and up 14.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in Jamaica peaked at 62.3 homicides per 100,000 population in 2005 and was at its lowest, 22.86 homicides per 100,000 population, in 1990.

That places Jamaica 5th out of 178 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.

Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in Jamaica, year by year

Year homicides per 100,000 population Change
1990 22.86 homicides per 100,000 population —
1991 23.57 homicides per 100,000 population +3.1%
1992 26.07 homicides per 100,000 population +10.6%
1993 26.82 homicides per 100,000 population +2.9%
1994 27.96 homicides per 100,000 population +4.3%
1995 31.2 homicides per 100,000 population +11.6%
1996 36.64 homicides per 100,000 population +17.4%
1997 40.74 homicides per 100,000 population +11.2%
1998 33.43 homicides per 100,000 population -17.9%
1999 32.98 homicides per 100,000 population -1.4%
2000 34.01 homicides per 100,000 population +3.1%
2001 43.4 homicides per 100,000 population +27.6%
2002 39.57 homicides per 100,000 population -8.8%
2003 36.7 homicides per 100,000 population -7.3%
2004 55.05 homicides per 100,000 population +50.0%
2005 62.3 homicides per 100,000 population +13.2%
2006 49.61 homicides per 100,000 population -20.4%
2007 58.37 homicides per 100,000 population +17.6%
2008 59.4 homicides per 100,000 population +1.8%
2009 61.49 homicides per 100,000 population +3.5%
2010 52.65 homicides per 100,000 population -14.4%
2011 41.04 homicides per 100,000 population -22.0%
2012 39.75 homicides per 100,000 population -3.2%
2013 43.18 homicides per 100,000 population +8.6%
2014 35.97 homicides per 100,000 population -16.7%
2015 43.14 homicides per 100,000 population +19.9%
2016 48.19 homicides per 100,000 population +11.7%
2017 58.49 homicides per 100,000 population +21.4%
2018 45.71 homicides per 100,000 population -21.9%
2019 47.46 homicides per 100,000 population +3.8%
2020 47.09 homicides per 100,000 population -0.8%
2021 51.94 homicides per 100,000 population +10.3%
2022 53.11 homicides per 100,000 population +2.3%
2023 49.44 homicides per 100,000 population -6.9%

Jamaica compared with similar countries

  • Jamaica's 49.44 homicides per 100,000 population is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.06 homicides per 100,000 population, 12.2× the median. (52 countries reporting)
  • Jamaica's 49.44 homicides per 100,000 population is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 16.92 homicides per 100,000 population, 2.9× the median. (41 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 30.23 homicides per 100,000 population 22.86 homicides per 100,000 population 40.74 homicides per 100,000 population 10
2000s 49.99 homicides per 100,000 population 34.01 homicides per 100,000 population 62.3 homicides per 100,000 population 10
2010s 45.56 homicides per 100,000 population 35.97 homicides per 100,000 population 58.49 homicides per 100,000 population 10
2020s 50.4 homicides per 100,000 population 47.09 homicides per 100,000 population 53.11 homicides per 100,000 population 4

Countries ranked near Jamaica

  1. 2 Saint Kitts and Nevis 64.16 homicides per 100,000 population compare
  2. 3 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 51.32 homicides per 100,000 population compare
  3. 4 United States Virgin Islands 49.86 homicides per 100,000 population compare
  4. 6 Ecuador 45.72 homicides per 100,000 population compare
  5. 7 South Africa 43.72 homicides per 100,000 population compare
  6. 8 Haiti 41.15 homicides per 100,000 population compare

See the full ranking of 178 places →

More social development data for Jamaica

All data for Jamaica →

Frequently asked questions

What is homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in Jamaica?
Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in Jamaica was 49.44 homicides per 100,000 population in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 recorded in Jamaica?
The highest recorded value was 62.3 homicides per 100,000 population in 2005.
What is the lowest homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 recorded in Jamaica?
The lowest recorded value was 22.86 homicides per 100,000 population in 1990.
How does Jamaica rank for homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020?
Jamaica ranks 5th out of 178 countries with data for 2023.
Is homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 rising or falling in Jamaica?
Over the last ten years it is up 14.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Jamaica data come from?
The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in Jamaica. Statizoid, drawing on UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 October 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/homicide-rate-1990-vs-2020/jamaica/

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About this data

Indicator
Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020
Unit
homicides per 100,000 population
Source
UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
178 places, 4,128 data points, 1990–2024
Last refreshed

Intentional homicide rate per 100,000 population.