Homicide rate, WHO vs. UNODC in Jamaica
Jamaica: Homicide rate, WHO vs. UNODC was 49.44 homicides per 100,000 population in 2023. ▲ Rising
Homicide rate, WHO vs. UNODC in Jamaica, 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, who vs. unodc in Jamaica is 49.44 homicides per 100,000 population, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 6.9% on the previous year and up 14.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate, who vs. unodc 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.
Jamaica ranks 5th of 179 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Homicide rate, WHO vs. UNODC 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
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | 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
- 2 Saint Kitts and Nevis 64.16 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 3 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 51.32 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 4 United States Virgin Islands 49.86 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 6 Ecuador 45.72 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 7 South Africa 43.72 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 8 Haiti 41.15 homicides per 100,000 population compare
More social development data for Jamaica
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 31 (2022)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,642 (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 0.0009 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,642 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2022)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is homicide rate, who vs. unodc in Jamaica?
- Homicide rate, who vs. unodc 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, who vs. unodc recorded in Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 62.3 homicides per 100,000 population in 2005.
- What is the lowest homicide rate, who vs. unodc recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.86 homicides per 100,000 population in 1990.
- How does Jamaica rank for homicide rate, who vs. unodc?
- Jamaica ranks 5th out of 179 countries with data for 2023.
- Is homicide rate, who vs. unodc 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, WHO vs. UNODC. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Intentional homicide rate per 100,000 population.