Homicide rate in Guatemala
Guatemala: Homicide rate was 26.2 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021. ▼ Falling
Latest (2021)
26.2 deaths per 100,000 people
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
14th
of 194 countries
All-time high
47.4 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2009
All-time low
25.06 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2017
Years of data
22
2000–2021
Homicide rate in Guatemala, 2000–2021
Source: World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 people.
Analysis
In 2021, homicide rate in Guatemala stood at 26.2 deaths per 100,000 people.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% on the previous year and down 33.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate in Guatemala peaked at 47.4 deaths per 100,000 people in 2009 and was at its lowest, 25.06 deaths per 100,000 people, in 2017.
That places Guatemala 14th out of 194 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Homicide rate in Guatemala, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 26.66 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 2001 | 29.04 deaths per 100,000 people | +8.9% |
| 2002 | 31.72 deaths per 100,000 people | +9.2% |
| 2003 | 35.97 deaths per 100,000 people | +13.4% |
| 2004 | 37.34 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.8% |
| 2005 | 43.09 deaths per 100,000 people | +15.4% |
| 2006 | 46.35 deaths per 100,000 people | +7.6% |
| 2007 | 44.52 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.9% |
| 2008 | 46.85 deaths per 100,000 people | +5.2% |
| 2009 | 47.4 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 42.49 deaths per 100,000 people | -10.4% |
| 2011 | 39.57 deaths per 100,000 people | -6.9% |
| 2012 | 35.8 deaths per 100,000 people | -9.5% |
| 2013 | 34.55 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.5% |
| 2014 | 32.19 deaths per 100,000 people | -6.8% |
| 2015 | 28.65 deaths per 100,000 people | -11.0% |
| 2016 | 26.89 deaths per 100,000 people | -6.1% |
| 2017 | 25.06 deaths per 100,000 people | -6.8% |
| 2018 | 26.79 deaths per 100,000 people | +6.9% |
| 2019 | 25.78 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 26.01 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 26.2 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.7% |
Guatemala compared with similar countries
- Guatemala's 26.2 deaths per 100,000 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.79 deaths per 100,000 people, 5.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Guatemala's 26.2 deaths per 100,000 people is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 14.24 deaths per 100,000 people, 1.8× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 38.89 deaths per 100,000 people | 26.66 deaths per 100,000 people | 47.4 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.78 deaths per 100,000 people | 25.06 deaths per 100,000 people | 42.49 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.11 deaths per 100,000 people | 26.01 deaths per 100,000 people | 26.2 deaths per 100,000 people | 2 |
Countries ranked near Guatemala
- 11 South Africa 32.81 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 12 Brazil 32.5 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 13 Mexico 28.47 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 15 Haiti 20.9 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 16 Panama 20.17 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 17 Saint Lucia 20.09 deaths per 100,000 people compare
More social development data for Guatemala
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,586 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 34,994 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0019 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 34,994 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 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 Guatemala?
- Homicide rate in Guatemala was 26.2 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, according to World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest homicide rate recorded in Guatemala?
- The highest recorded value was 47.4 deaths per 100,000 people in 2009.
- What is the lowest homicide rate recorded in Guatemala?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.06 deaths per 100,000 people in 2017.
- How does Guatemala rank for homicide rate?
- Guatemala ranks 14th out of 194 countries with data for 2021.
- Is homicide rate rising or falling in Guatemala?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Guatemala data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Homicide rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths from interpersonal violence in both sexes, per 100,000 people.