Homicide rate in Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic: Homicide rate was 14.08 deaths per 100,000 people in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2018)
14.08 deaths per 100,000 people
Change on year
down 18.1%
World rank
14th
of 111 countries
All-time high
20.45 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2013
All-time low
2.86 deaths per 100,000 people
in 1969
Years of data
53
1965–2018
Homicide rate in Dominican Republic, 1965–2018
Source: WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 people.
Analysis
In 2018, homicide rate in Dominican Republic stood at 14.08 deaths per 100,000 people.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 18.1% on the previous year and up 118.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate in Dominican Republic peaked at 20.45 deaths per 100,000 people in 2013 and was at its lowest, 2.86 deaths per 100,000 people, in 1969.
That places Dominican Republic 14th out of 111 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Homicide rate in Dominican Republic, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 4.8 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 1966 | 5.38 deaths per 100,000 people | +12.1% |
| 1967 | 5.19 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.4% |
| 1968 | 4.83 deaths per 100,000 people | -7.0% |
| 1969 | 2.86 deaths per 100,000 people | -40.8% |
| 1970 | 9.38 deaths per 100,000 people | +228.2% |
| 1971 | 6.89 deaths per 100,000 people | -26.6% |
| 1972 | 4.46 deaths per 100,000 people | -35.2% |
| 1973 | 5.19 deaths per 100,000 people | +16.3% |
| 1974 | 4.95 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.5% |
| 1975 | 4.66 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.9% |
| 1976 | 4.55 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1977 | 4.28 deaths per 100,000 people | -6.0% |
| 1978 | 4.64 deaths per 100,000 people | +8.6% |
| 1979 | 4.32 deaths per 100,000 people | -7.0% |
| 1980 | 3.44 deaths per 100,000 people | -20.4% |
| 1981 | 4.28 deaths per 100,000 people | +24.6% |
| 1982 | 4.47 deaths per 100,000 people | +4.4% |
| 1983 | 5.02 deaths per 100,000 people | +12.1% |
| 1984 | 4.34 deaths per 100,000 people | -13.4% |
| 1985 | 4.97 deaths per 100,000 people | +14.3% |
| 1986 | 5.56 deaths per 100,000 people | +12.0% |
| 1987 | 6.52 deaths per 100,000 people | +17.3% |
| 1988 | 6.4 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1989 | 7.09 deaths per 100,000 people | +10.8% |
| 1990 | 7.23 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 6.6 deaths per 100,000 people | -8.7% |
| 1992 | 5.01 deaths per 100,000 people | -24.1% |
| 1994 | 4.75 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.1% |
| 1995 | 4.6 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.1% |
| 1996 | 4.93 deaths per 100,000 people | +7.1% |
| 1997 | 6.54 deaths per 100,000 people | +32.8% |
| 1998 | 7.72 deaths per 100,000 people | +18.0% |
| 1999 | 7.49 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.9% |
| 2000 | 5.78 deaths per 100,000 people | -22.8% |
| 2001 | 4.57 deaths per 100,000 people | -21.0% |
| 2002 | 3.98 deaths per 100,000 people | -13.0% |
| 2003 | 3.76 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.4% |
| 2004 | 5.55 deaths per 100,000 people | +47.5% |
| 2005 | 7.71 deaths per 100,000 people | +38.9% |
| 2006 | 6.22 deaths per 100,000 people | -19.3% |
| 2007 | 5.48 deaths per 100,000 people | -11.8% |
| 2008 | 6.44 deaths per 100,000 people | +17.4% |
| 2009 | 7.95 deaths per 100,000 people | +23.4% |
| 2010 | 9.4 deaths per 100,000 people | +18.2% |
| 2011 | 9.47 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 12.67 deaths per 100,000 people | +33.8% |
| 2013 | 20.45 deaths per 100,000 people | +61.4% |
| 2014 | 19.68 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.8% |
| 2015 | 19.59 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 17.98 deaths per 100,000 people | -8.2% |
| 2017 | 17.19 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.4% |
| 2018 | 14.08 deaths per 100,000 people | -18.1% |
Dominican Republic compared with similar countries
- Dominican Republic's 14.08 deaths per 100,000 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.11 deaths per 100,000 people, 4.5× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Dominican Republic's 14.08 deaths per 100,000 people is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 12.02 deaths per 100,000 people, 1.2× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Homicide rate in Dominican Republic changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | +228.2% | 2.86 deaths per 100,000 people | 9.38 deaths per 100,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.61 deaths per 100,000 people | 2.86 deaths per 100,000 people | 5.38 deaths per 100,000 people | 5 |
| 1970s | 5.33 deaths per 100,000 people | 4.28 deaths per 100,000 people | 9.38 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.21 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.44 deaths per 100,000 people | 7.09 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.1 deaths per 100,000 people | 4.6 deaths per 100,000 people | 7.72 deaths per 100,000 people | 9 |
| 2000s | 5.74 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.76 deaths per 100,000 people | 7.95 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.61 deaths per 100,000 people | 9.4 deaths per 100,000 people | 20.45 deaths per 100,000 people | 9 |
Countries ranked near Dominican Republic
- 11 Puerto Rico 20.67 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 12 Guyana 17.42 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 13 Guatemala 15.09 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 15 Costa Rica 12.02 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 16 Uruguay 11.53 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 17 Panama 9.85 deaths per 100,000 people compare
More social development data for Dominican Republic
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 20 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,240 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 3 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 3 (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 1,240 (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 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is homicide rate in Dominican Republic?
- Homicide rate in Dominican Republic was 14.08 deaths per 100,000 people in 2018, according to WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest homicide rate recorded in Dominican Republic?
- The highest recorded value was 20.45 deaths per 100,000 people in 2013.
- What is the lowest homicide rate recorded in Dominican Republic?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.86 deaths per 100,000 people in 1969.
- How does Dominican Republic rank for homicide rate?
- Dominican Republic ranks 14th out of 111 countries with data for 2018.
- Is homicide rate rising or falling in Dominican Republic?
- Over the last ten years it is up 118.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Dominican Republic data come from?
- The figures come from WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor 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
Annual number of homicides per 100,000 people.