Homicide rate from firearms in New Zealand
New Zealand: Homicide rate from firearms was 0.2338 homicides per 100,000 population in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Homicide rate from firearms in New Zealand, 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
The most recent figure for homicide rate from firearms in New Zealand is 0.2338 homicides per 100,000 population, measured in 2022.
The figure is up 19.4% on the previous year and up 243.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate from firearms in New Zealand peaked at 1.22 homicides per 100,000 population in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0.068 homicides per 100,000 population, in 2012.
That places New Zealand 50th out of 82 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Homicide rate from firearms in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | homicides per 100,000 population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 0.1421 homicides per 100,000 population | — |
| 2008 | 0.1642 homicides per 100,000 population | +15.6% |
| 2009 | 0.2556 homicides per 100,000 population | +55.6% |
| 2010 | 0.161 homicides per 100,000 population | -37.0% |
| 2011 | 0.0685 homicides per 100,000 population | -57.5% |
| 2012 | 0.068 homicides per 100,000 population | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 0.1796 homicides per 100,000 population | +164.1% |
| 2014 | 0.1327 homicides per 100,000 population | -26.1% |
| 2015 | 0.1517 homicides per 100,000 population | +14.4% |
| 2016 | 0.1697 homicides per 100,000 population | +11.8% |
| 2017 | 0.2286 homicides per 100,000 population | +34.7% |
| 2018 | 0.2449 homicides per 100,000 population | +7.1% |
| 2019 | 1.22 homicides per 100,000 population | +399.3% |
| 2020 | 0.2959 homicides per 100,000 population | -75.8% |
| 2021 | 0.1958 homicides per 100,000 population | -33.8% |
| 2022 | 0.2338 homicides per 100,000 population | +19.4% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 0.2338 homicides per 100,000 population is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.21 homicides per 100,000 population, 1.1× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 0.2338 homicides per 100,000 population is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.1642 homicides per 100,000 population, 1.4× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Homicide rate from firearms in New Zealand 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +399.3% | 0.2449 homicides per 100,000 population | 1.22 homicides per 100,000 population |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.1873 homicides per 100,000 population | 0.1421 homicides per 100,000 population | 0.2556 homicides per 100,000 population | 3 |
| 2010s | 0.2627 homicides per 100,000 population | 0.068 homicides per 100,000 population | 1.22 homicides per 100,000 population | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2418 homicides per 100,000 population | 0.1958 homicides per 100,000 population | 0.2959 homicides per 100,000 population | 3 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 47 North Macedonia 0.2701 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 48 Czechia 0.259 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 49 Bulgaria 0.2403 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 51 Belarus 0.2111 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 52 Austria 0.1862 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 53 Luxembourg 0.1798 homicides per 100,000 population compare
More social development data for New Zealand
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,148 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 58 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (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 58 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0004 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 New Zealand?
- Homicide rate from firearms in New Zealand was 0.2338 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 New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 1.22 homicides per 100,000 population in 2019.
- What is the lowest homicide rate from firearms recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.068 homicides per 100,000 population in 2012.
- How does New Zealand rank for homicide rate from firearms?
- New Zealand ranks 50th out of 82 countries with data for 2022.
- Is homicide rate from firearms rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 243.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand 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.