Homicides by firearm in United States
United States: Homicides by firearm was 15,186 homicides in 2023. ▲ Rising
Homicides by firearm in United States, 2005–2023
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.
Analysis
In 2023, homicides by firearm in United States stood at 15,186 homicides.
The figure is down 11.2% on the previous year and up 79.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicides by firearm in United States peaked at 18,395 homicides in 2021 and was at its lowest, 8,312 homicides, in 2014.
United States ranks 2nd of 82 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 19 years of available data.
Homicides by firearm in United States, year by year
| Year | homicides | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 10,158 homicides | — |
| 2006 | 10,225 homicides | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 10,129 homicides | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 9,528 homicides | -5.9% |
| 2009 | 9,199 homicides | -3.5% |
| 2010 | 8,874 homicides | -3.5% |
| 2011 | 8,653 homicides | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 8,855 homicides | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 8,454 homicides | -4.5% |
| 2014 | 8,312 homicides | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 9,103 homicides | +9.5% |
| 2016 | 10,398 homicides | +14.2% |
| 2017 | 11,020 homicides | +6.0% |
| 2018 | 10,484 homicides | -4.9% |
| 2019 | 10,537 homicides | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 13,620 homicides | +29.3% |
| 2021 | 18,395 homicides | +35.1% |
| 2022 | 17,106 homicides | -7.0% |
| 2023 | 15,186 homicides | -11.2% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 15,186 homicides is above the median for high income countries, which is 17 homicides, 893.3× the median. (38 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Homicides by firearm in United States 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +35.1% | 13,620 homicides | 18,395 homicides |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 9,848 homicides | 9,199 homicides | 10,225 homicides | 5 |
| 2010s | 9,469 homicides | 8,312 homicides | 11,020 homicides | 10 |
| 2020s | 16,077 homicides | 13,620 homicides | 18,395 homicides | 4 |
Countries ranked near United States
More social development data for United States
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 457,647 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 3,667 (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 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 3,667 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0013 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 homicides by firearm in United States?
- Homicides by firearm in United States was 15,186 homicides 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 homicides by firearm recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 18,395 homicides in 2021.
- What is the lowest homicides by firearm recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 8,312 homicides in 2014.
- How does United States rank for homicides by firearm?
- United States ranks 2nd out of 82 countries with data for 2023.
- Is homicides by firearm rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 79.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States 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 Homicides by firearm. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 19 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of intentional homicides where the weapon was a firearm.