Homicide rate from firearms in El Salvador
El Salvador: Homicide rate from firearms was 4.82 homicides per 100,000 population in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
4.82 homicides per 100,000 population
Change on year
down 57.2%
World rank
20th
of 82 countries
All-time high
89.53 homicides per 100,000 population
in 2015
All-time low
4.82 homicides per 100,000 population
in 2022
Years of data
16
2007–2022
Homicide rate from firearms in El Salvador, 2007–2022
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
El Salvador recorded 4.82 homicides per 100,000 population for homicide rate from firearms in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 16 years on record.
That represents a change of down 57.2% on the previous year and down 81.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate from firearms in El Salvador peaked at 89.53 homicides per 100,000 population in 2015 and was at its lowest, 4.82 homicides per 100,000 population, in 2022.
El Salvador ranks 20th of 82 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Homicide rate from firearms in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | homicides per 100,000 population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 46.51 homicides per 100,000 population | — |
| 2008 | 35.11 homicides per 100,000 population | -24.5% |
| 2009 | 54.91 homicides per 100,000 population | +56.4% |
| 2010 | 48.15 homicides per 100,000 population | -12.3% |
| 2011 | 50.02 homicides per 100,000 population | +3.9% |
| 2012 | 26.23 homicides per 100,000 population | -47.5% |
| 2013 | 27.33 homicides per 100,000 population | +4.2% |
| 2014 | 48.76 homicides per 100,000 population | +78.4% |
| 2015 | 89.53 homicides per 100,000 population | +83.6% |
| 2016 | 68.65 homicides per 100,000 population | -23.3% |
| 2017 | 48.39 homicides per 100,000 population | -29.5% |
| 2018 | 41.82 homicides per 100,000 population | -13.6% |
| 2019 | 28.19 homicides per 100,000 population | -32.6% |
| 2020 | 14.85 homicides per 100,000 population | -47.3% |
| 2021 | 11.29 homicides per 100,000 population | -24.0% |
| 2022 | 4.82 homicides per 100,000 population | -57.2% |
El Salvador compared with similar countries
- El Salvador's 4.82 homicides per 100,000 population is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2.18 homicides per 100,000 population, 2.2× the median. (34 countries reporting)
- El Salvador's 4.82 homicides per 100,000 population is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 8.57 homicides per 100,000 population, 56% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 45.51 homicides per 100,000 population | 35.11 homicides per 100,000 population | 54.91 homicides per 100,000 population | 3 |
| 2010s | 47.71 homicides per 100,000 population | 26.23 homicides per 100,000 population | 89.53 homicides per 100,000 population | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.32 homicides per 100,000 population | 4.82 homicides per 100,000 population | 14.85 homicides per 100,000 population | 3 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
- 17 Dominican Republic 6.49 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 18 Grenada 5.98 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 19 Barbados 4.96 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 21 Bermuda 4.64 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 22 United States 4.42 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 23 Guatemala 4.41 homicides per 100,000 population compare
More social development data for El Salvador
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 182 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 68,182 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 5 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 5 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0107 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 68,182 (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 from firearms in El Salvador?
- Homicide rate from firearms in El Salvador was 4.82 homicides per 100,000 population in 2022, 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 from firearms recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 89.53 homicides per 100,000 population in 2015.
- What is the lowest homicide rate from firearms recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.82 homicides per 100,000 population in 2022.
- How does El Salvador rank for homicide rate from firearms?
- El Salvador ranks 20th out of 82 countries with data for 2022.
- Is homicide rate from firearms rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 81.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this El Salvador 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 from firearms. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Intentional homicide rate per 100,000 population where the weapon was a firearm.