Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in United States
United States: Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 was 5.76 homicides per 100,000 population in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
5.76 homicides per 100,000 population
Change on year
down 11.5%
World rank
56th
of 178 countries
All-time high
9.63 homicides per 100,000 population
in 1991
All-time low
4.38 homicides per 100,000 population
in 2014
Years of data
31
1990–2023
Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in United States, 1990–2023
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 United States is 5.76 homicides per 100,000 population, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 11.5% on the previous year and up 28.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in United States peaked at 9.63 homicides per 100,000 population in 1991 and was at its lowest, 4.38 homicides per 100,000 population, in 2014.
United States ranks 56th of 178 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 31 years of available data.
Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in United States, year by year
| Year | homicides per 100,000 population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 9.25 homicides per 100,000 population | — |
| 1991 | 9.63 homicides per 100,000 population | +4.1% |
| 1992 | 9.15 homicides per 100,000 population | -5.0% |
| 1993 | 9.34 homicides per 100,000 population | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 8.79 homicides per 100,000 population | -5.9% |
| 1995 | 8.06 homicides per 100,000 population | -8.3% |
| 1996 | 7.25 homicides per 100,000 population | -10.0% |
| 1997 | 6.66 homicides per 100,000 population | -8.2% |
| 1998 | 6.15 homicides per 100,000 population | -7.7% |
| 1999 | 5.57 homicides per 100,000 population | -9.4% |
| 2000 | 5.54 homicides per 100,000 population | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 6.7 homicides per 100,000 population | +20.9% |
| 2002 | 5.65 homicides per 100,000 population | -15.6% |
| 2006 | 5.79 homicides per 100,000 population | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 5.67 homicides per 100,000 population | -2.1% |
| 2008 | 5.4 homicides per 100,000 population | -4.9% |
| 2009 | 5 homicides per 100,000 population | -7.4% |
| 2010 | 4.73 homicides per 100,000 population | -5.3% |
| 2011 | 4.67 homicides per 100,000 population | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 4.68 homicides per 100,000 population | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 4.47 homicides per 100,000 population | -4.5% |
| 2014 | 4.38 homicides per 100,000 population | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 4.87 homicides per 100,000 population | +11.1% |
| 2016 | 5.29 homicides per 100,000 population | +8.6% |
| 2017 | 5.21 homicides per 100,000 population | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 4.89 homicides per 100,000 population | -6.1% |
| 2019 | 4.93 homicides per 100,000 population | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 6.35 homicides per 100,000 population | +28.8% |
| 2021 | 6.78 homicides per 100,000 population | +6.7% |
| 2022 | 6.51 homicides per 100,000 population | -3.9% |
| 2023 | 5.76 homicides per 100,000 population | -11.5% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 5.76 homicides per 100,000 population is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population, 5.1× the median. (76 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.98 homicides per 100,000 population | 5.57 homicides per 100,000 population | 9.63 homicides per 100,000 population | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.68 homicides per 100,000 population | 5 homicides per 100,000 population | 6.7 homicides per 100,000 population | 7 |
| 2010s | 4.81 homicides per 100,000 population | 4.38 homicides per 100,000 population | 5.29 homicides per 100,000 population | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.35 homicides per 100,000 population | 5.76 homicides per 100,000 population | 6.78 homicides per 100,000 population | 4 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 53 Samoa 6.26 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 54 Bermuda 6.18 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 55 Yemen 5.81 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 57 Guadeloupe 5.68 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 58 Burundi 5.65 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 59 Mongolia 5.64 homicides per 100,000 population compare
More social development data for United States
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 457,647 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 3,667 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 3,667 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0013 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in United States?
- Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in United States was 5.76 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 United States?
- The highest recorded value was 9.63 homicides per 100,000 population in 1991.
- What is the lowest homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.38 homicides per 100,000 population in 2014.
- How does United States rank for homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020?
- United States ranks 56th out of 178 countries with data for 2023.
- Is homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 28.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States 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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About this data
Intentional homicide rate per 100,000 population.