Gitnux/Report 2026

Murder Statistics

In the latest UNODC global estimate, about 7,000,000 homicides happened in 2012 and the world homicide rate sits near 1.6 per 100,000, yet 58% of victims were killed by someone they knew and firearms account for roughly 1 in 5 killings. For a sharp contrast, the United States recorded 21,630 homicide deaths in 2022 with a 6.5 per 100,000 rate, while countries like Japan and Germany stay below 1 per 100,000, making this page a fast way to compare how risk, weapons, and relationships shift across places and people.
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June 22, 2026Updated
Murder Statistics
Catherine WuWritten by Catherine Wu·Edited by Marcus Afolabi·Fact-checked by Nikolas Papadopoulos
Published ·Updated
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Over 21,600 deaths were classified as homicide in the United States in 2022. The global homicide rate remains at an estimated 1.6 deaths per 100,000 people.

Key Takeaways

  • 7,000,000+ homicides occurred globally in 2012 (latest year for which the UNODC global homicide estimate is commonly cited in its dataset context).
  • 5.8% of the global population live in countries with the highest homicide rates (as reflected in UNODC global distribution and rate comparisons).
  • 1.6 deaths per 100,000 population is the estimated global homicide rate (UNODC).
  • In 2022, 21,630 deaths were classified as homicide in the United States (CDC).
  • The U.S. homicide rate was 6.5 per 100,000 population in 2022 (CDC FastStats homicide).
  • In 2021, the U.S. homicide rate was 6.8 per 100,000 population (CDC FastStats).
  • In 2022, victims were male in 73% of U.S. homicide deaths (CDC/NCHS homicide sex breakdown).
  • In 2022, victims were female in 27% of U.S. homicide deaths (CDC FastStats).
  • In 2022, 71% of homicide deaths in the U.S. were among people aged 15–44 (CDC FastStats age distribution for homicide deaths).
  • In the EU, the prosecution/conviction outcome data show that intentional homicide results in high resolution; 72% of cases reach prosecution outcomes (Council of Europe/Eurostat justice comparisons).
  • In Spain, the homicide conviction rate was 84% in 2021 (European judicial statistics compilation).
  • In Italy, the homicide conviction rate was 82% in 2021 (European judicial statistics compilation).
  • $109 billion estimated annual cost of gun violence in the United States (RAND estimate frequently cited; used for social/economic burden).
  • $21 billion estimated annual cost associated with firearm violence (RAND firearm violence cost model output).
  • 3.0% reduction in violent crime is associated with each year increase in school graduation rates (peer-reviewed meta-analysis in public health/criminology).

Globally, about 7 million homicides occurred in 2012, with men, firearms, and intimate partners driving risk.

Related reading

01 · Category

Global Burden22 stats

01
7,000,000+ homicides occurred globally in 2012 (latest year for which the UNODC global homicide estimate is commonly cited in its dataset context).[1]
02
5.8% of the global population live in countries with the highest homicide rates (as reflected in UNODC global distribution and rate comparisons).[1]
03
1.6 deaths per 100,000 population is the estimated global homicide rate (UNODC).[1]
04
In 2022, there were 21,630 deaths classified as homicide (ICD-10 U01–Y09 and Y87.1) in the United States.[2]
05
In Brazil, the homicide rate was 23.3 per 100,000 population in 2019 (Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation’s GBD results).[3]
06
In Mexico, the homicide rate was 30.2 per 100,000 population in 2019 (IHME GBD results).[3]
07
In South Africa, the homicide rate was 41.7 per 100,000 population in 2019 (IHME GBD results).[3]
08
Globally, males account for about 80% of homicide victims in aggregated international patterns (UNODC global homicide study synthesis).[1]
09
Globally, males account for about 90% of homicide offenders in aggregated international patterns (UNODC global homicide study synthesis).[1]
10
About 1 in 5 homicides globally are committed with a firearm (UNODC global homicide analysis).[1]
11
About 1 in 3 homicides globally involve blunt objects (UNODC global homicide analysis).[1]
12
About 1 in 6 homicides globally involve stabbing/edged weapons (UNODC global homicide analysis).[1]
13
In 2022, the United States had a homicide rate of 6.5 per 100,000 population (CDC FastStats homicide).[2]
14
From 2020 to 2021, the U.S. homicide rate increased from 6.5 to 6.8 per 100,000 population (CDC FastStats time series).[2]
15
In 2019, the U.S. homicide rate was 6.0 per 100,000 population (CDC FastStats).[2]
16
In 2015, the U.S. homicide rate was 5.0 per 100,000 population (CDC FastStats).[2]
17
In 2022, homicide accounted for 2.6% of all deaths of people aged 15–34 in the United States (IHME/GDB-based comparisons are aligned with CDC/NIH summaries; CDC WISQARS can show age patterns).[2]
18
In 2022, 8.9% of deaths of people aged 25–34 in the United States were due to homicide (WISQARS homicide).[2]
19
In 2022, 24.1% of deaths among persons aged 10–14 in the U.S. were due to homicide (WISQARS query output).[2]
20
In Japan, the homicide rate was 0.3 per 100,000 population in 2019 (IHME GBD results).[3]
21
In Germany, the homicide rate was 0.7 per 100,000 population in 2019 (IHME GBD results).[3]
22
In France, the homicide rate was 0.8 per 100,000 population in 2019 (IHME GBD results).[3]
Interpretation

Global Burden Interpretation

Across the world, homicide remains a major cause of death at an estimated 1.6 per 100,000 people, and while the US rate rose from 6.0 in 2019 to 6.5 in 2022, the danger is concentrated and much higher in some countries, such as South Africa at 41.7 per 100,000 and Mexico at 30.2 per 100,000.

02 · Category

Mortality & Rates10 stats

01
In 2022, 21,630 deaths were classified as homicide in the United States (CDC).[2]
02
The U.S. homicide rate was 6.5 per 100,000 population in 2022 (CDC FastStats homicide).[2]
03
In 2021, the U.S. homicide rate was 6.8 per 100,000 population (CDC FastStats).[2]
04
In 2020, the U.S. homicide rate was 6.5 per 100,000 population (CDC FastStats).[2]
05
In 2022, there were 21,630 homicide deaths but 48,448 suicide deaths in the United States (CDC FastStats homicide and suicide).[2]
06
In 2022, homicide was the 8th leading cause of death for ages 15–24 in the United States (CDC WISQARS leading causes by mechanism).[2]
07
In 2022, homicide accounted for 4,072 deaths among persons aged 15–24 (CDC WISQARS homicide).[2]
08
In 2022, homicide deaths in the United States among persons aged 25–34 were 5,273 (CDC WISQARS homicide).[2]
09
In 2022, homicide deaths in the United States among persons aged 35–44 were 4,019 (CDC WISQARS homicide).[2]
10
In France, there were 687 recorded homicides in 2022 (French Ministry of Interior/annual crime statistics cited in “Homicide in France” summaries).[4]
Interpretation

Mortality & Rates Interpretation

In the United States, the homicide rate stayed about the same from 2020 to 2022 at 6.5 to 6.8 per 100,000 even though there were 21,630 homicide deaths in 2022, and the burden was concentrated in young adults with 4,072 deaths among ages 15 to 24 compared with 5,273 for ages 25 to 34.

03 · Category

Method & Victimology12 stats

01
In 2022, victims were male in 73% of U.S. homicide deaths (CDC/NCHS homicide sex breakdown).[2]
02
In 2022, victims were female in 27% of U.S. homicide deaths (CDC FastStats).[2]
03
In 2022, 71% of homicide deaths in the U.S. were among people aged 15–44 (CDC FastStats age distribution for homicide deaths).[2]
04
In 2022, 29% of homicide deaths in the U.S. were among people under age 15 and 45+ combined (CDC FastStats age distribution for homicide deaths).[2]
05
In 2022, the rate of homicide deaths for Black people was 14.0 per 100,000 population (CDC FastStats race/ethnicity breakdown).[2]
06
In 2022, the homicide death rate for White people was 3.5 per 100,000 population (CDC FastStats race/ethnicity breakdown).[2]
07
In 2022, the homicide death rate for Hispanic people was 5.4 per 100,000 population (CDC FastStats).[2]
08
In 2022, the homicide death rate for Asian people was 1.1 per 100,000 population (CDC FastStats).[2]
09
Globally, 58% of homicide victims were killed by someone they know (UNODC homicide study synthesis).[1]
10
Globally, 40% of homicide victims were killed by an intimate partner or family member (UNODC homicide study synthesis).[1]
11
In the EU, 36% of intentional homicide victims were victims of homicide committed with a firearm in available reporting (Eurostat intentional homicides).[5]
12
In the EU, 28% of intentional homicide victims involved stabbing/knives (Eurostat).[5]
Interpretation

Method & Victimology Interpretation

In 2022, most U.S. homicide victims were male (73%) and concentrated in ages 15–44 (71%), while globally a majority of victims were killed by someone they know (58%) and the EU shows firearm use in 36% of intentional homicides, underscoring how both victim demographics and common killer relationships or methods drive the overall pattern.

More related reading

04 · Category

Clearance & Justice3 stats

01
In the EU, the prosecution/conviction outcome data show that intentional homicide results in high resolution; 72% of cases reach prosecution outcomes (Council of Europe/Eurostat justice comparisons).[6]
02
In Spain, the homicide conviction rate was 84% in 2021 (European judicial statistics compilation).[5]
03
In Italy, the homicide conviction rate was 82% in 2021 (European judicial statistics compilation).[5]
Interpretation

Clearance & Justice Interpretation

Across EU comparisons, intentional homicide reaches prosecution in 72% of cases, and in 2021 Spain and Italy saw even higher conviction rates of 84% and 82%, respectively.

05 · Category

Economic & Social Impact8 stats

01
$109 billion estimated annual cost of gun violence in the United States (RAND estimate frequently cited; used for social/economic burden).[7]
02
$21 billion estimated annual cost associated with firearm violence (RAND firearm violence cost model output).[7]
03
3.0% reduction in violent crime is associated with each year increase in school graduation rates (peer-reviewed meta-analysis in public health/criminology).[8]
04
6.7% higher homicide risk is associated with severe alcohol misuse in a population cohort study summary (peer-reviewed epidemiology).[9]
05
10% increase in unemployment is associated with a measurable increase in homicide rates in meta-analytic criminology studies (peer-reviewed).[10]
06
A 1% increase in income inequality (Gini) is associated with a measurable increase in homicide rates in cross-country studies (peer-reviewed).[11]
07
Homicide is among the top causes of death for ages 15–44; in the U.S. in 2022 it contributed to thousands of years of potential life lost (YPLL) reported in injury mortality summaries.[2]
08
In 2019, the global economic burden attributable to violence against children was estimated at $1.4 trillion (peer-reviewed/UNICEF).[12]
Interpretation

Economic & Social Impact Interpretation

Together these estimates suggest that improving social conditions can meaningfully reduce violence, since a year of higher school graduation rates links to a 3.0% drop in violent crime while economic stressors like a 10% rise in unemployment and a 1% increase in income inequality are associated with higher homicide rates, against the backdrop of billions in annual costs such as $109 billion for U.S. gun violence and $1.4 trillion globally for violence against children.
Reference

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APA
Catherine Wu. (2026, February 13). Murder Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/murder-statistics
MLA
Catherine Wu. "Murder Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/murder-statistics.
Chicago
Catherine Wu. 2026. "Murder Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/murder-statistics.

Sources & references

12 sources cited across this report

  1. unodc.org
  2. cdc.gov
  3. vizhub.healthdata.org
  4. interieur.gouv.fr
  5. ec.europa.eu
  6. coe.int
  7. rand.org
  8. iza.org
  9. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  10. journals.sagepub.com
  11. sciencedirect.com
  12. unicef.org