Homicides in Switzerland
Switzerland: Homicides was 42 deaths in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
42 deaths
Change on year
up 23.5%
World rank
71st
of 113 countries
All-time high
111 deaths
in 1993
All-time low
31 deaths
in 1960
Years of data
73
1951–2023
Homicides in Switzerland, 1951–2023
Source: WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
Switzerland recorded 42 deaths for homicides in 2023.
That represents a change of up 23.5% on the previous year and down 6.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicides in Switzerland peaked at 111 deaths in 1993 and was at its lowest, 31 deaths, in 1960.
Switzerland ranks 71st of 113 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Homicides in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 60 deaths | — |
| 1952 | 56 deaths | -6.7% |
| 1953 | 54 deaths | -3.6% |
| 1954 | 52 deaths | -3.7% |
| 1955 | 56 deaths | +7.7% |
| 1956 | 33 deaths | -41.1% |
| 1957 | 39 deaths | +18.2% |
| 1958 | 34 deaths | -12.8% |
| 1959 | 48 deaths | +41.2% |
| 1960 | 31 deaths | -35.4% |
| 1961 | 39 deaths | +25.8% |
| 1962 | 57 deaths | +46.2% |
| 1963 | 38 deaths | -33.3% |
| 1964 | 45 deaths | +18.4% |
| 1965 | 34 deaths | -24.4% |
| 1966 | 39 deaths | +14.7% |
| 1967 | 49 deaths | +25.6% |
| 1968 | 45 deaths | -8.2% |
| 1969 | 33 deaths | -26.7% |
| 1970 | 44 deaths | +33.3% |
| 1971 | 60 deaths | +36.4% |
| 1972 | 58 deaths | -3.3% |
| 1973 | 43 deaths | -25.9% |
| 1974 | 61 deaths | +41.9% |
| 1975 | 60 deaths | -1.6% |
| 1976 | 56 deaths | -6.7% |
| 1977 | 54 deaths | -3.6% |
| 1978 | 46 deaths | -14.8% |
| 1979 | 58 deaths | +26.1% |
| 1980 | 60 deaths | +3.4% |
| 1981 | 76 deaths | +26.7% |
| 1982 | 87 deaths | +14.5% |
| 1983 | 90 deaths | +3.4% |
| 1984 | 60 deaths | -33.3% |
| 1985 | 93 deaths | +55.0% |
| 1986 | 64 deaths | -31.2% |
| 1987 | 79 deaths | +23.4% |
| 1988 | 80 deaths | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 85 deaths | +6.2% |
| 1990 | 99 deaths | +16.5% |
| 1991 | 93 deaths | -6.1% |
| 1992 | 101 deaths | +8.6% |
| 1993 | 111 deaths | +9.9% |
| 1994 | 94 deaths | -15.3% |
| 1995 | 68 deaths | -27.7% |
| 1996 | 77 deaths | +13.2% |
| 1997 | 100 deaths | +29.9% |
| 1998 | 59 deaths | -41.0% |
| 1999 | 71 deaths | +20.3% |
| 2000 | 57 deaths | -19.7% |
| 2001 | 82 deaths | +43.9% |
| 2002 | 75 deaths | -8.5% |
| 2003 | 50 deaths | -33.3% |
| 2004 | 67 deaths | +34.0% |
| 2005 | 64 deaths | -4.5% |
| 2006 | 43 deaths | -32.8% |
| 2007 | 45 deaths | +4.7% |
| 2008 | 43 deaths | -4.4% |
| 2009 | 55 deaths | +27.9% |
| 2010 | 39 deaths | -29.1% |
| 2011 | 43 deaths | +10.3% |
| 2012 | 41 deaths | -4.7% |
| 2013 | 45 deaths | +9.8% |
| 2014 | 34 deaths | -24.4% |
| 2015 | 47 deaths | +38.2% |
| 2016 | 32 deaths | -31.9% |
| 2017 | 31 deaths | -3.1% |
| 2018 | 39 deaths | +25.8% |
| 2019 | 33 deaths | -15.4% |
| 2020 | 44 deaths | +33.3% |
| 2021 | 34 deaths | -22.7% |
| 2022 | 34 deaths | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 42 deaths | +23.5% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 42 deaths is below the median for high income countries, which is 63 deaths, 67% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 42 deaths is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 63.5 deaths, 66% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 48 deaths | 33 deaths | 60 deaths | 9 |
| 1960s | 41 deaths | 31 deaths | 57 deaths | 10 |
| 1970s | 54 deaths | 43 deaths | 61 deaths | 10 |
| 1980s | 77.4 deaths | 60 deaths | 93 deaths | 10 |
| 1990s | 87.3 deaths | 59 deaths | 111 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 58.1 deaths | 43 deaths | 82 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 38.4 deaths | 31 deaths | 47 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.5 deaths | 34 deaths | 44 deaths | 4 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
- 68 Bosnia and Herzegovina 46 deaths compare
- 69 Malaysia 45 deaths compare
- 70 Saint Lucia 43 deaths compare
- 72 Denmark 39 deaths compare
- 72 Slovakia 39 deaths compare
- 72 Tajikistan 39 deaths compare
More social development data for Switzerland
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 208,287 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 6 (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 6 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0229 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 in Switzerland?
- Homicides in Switzerland was 42 deaths in 2023, according to WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest homicides recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 111 deaths in 1993.
- What is the lowest homicides recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 31 deaths in 1960.
- How does Switzerland rank for homicides?
- Switzerland ranks 71st out of 113 countries with data for 2023.
- Is homicides rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Switzerland data come from?
- The figures come from WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Homicides. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Annual number of homicides.