More than 7,000,000 homicides were estimated worldwide in 2012 and the United States alone recorded 21,630 in 2022, so let’s dig into the global patterns, age and gender breakdowns, weapon types, and trends behind these numbers.
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).
Global homicides top 7 million yearly, with firearm and intimate partner violence driving high rates worldwide.
Global Burden
17,000,000+ homicides occurred globally in 2012 (latest year for which the UNODC global homicide estimate is commonly cited in its dataset context).[1]
Verified25.8% of the global population live in countries with the highest homicide rates (as reflected in UNODC global distribution and rate comparisons).[1]
Verified31.6 deaths per 100,000 population is the estimated global homicide rate (UNODC).[1]
Verified4In 2022, there were 21,630 deaths classified as homicide (ICD-10 U01–Y09 and Y87.1) in the United States.[2]
Directional5In Brazil, the homicide rate was 23.3 per 100,000 population in 2019 (Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation’s GBD results).[3]
Single source6In Mexico, the homicide rate was 30.2 per 100,000 population in 2019 (IHME GBD results).[3]
Verified7In South Africa, the homicide rate was 41.7 per 100,000 population in 2019 (IHME GBD results).[3]
Verified8Globally, males account for about 80% of homicide victims in aggregated international patterns (UNODC global homicide study synthesis).[1]
Verified9Globally, males account for about 90% of homicide offenders in aggregated international patterns (UNODC global homicide study synthesis).[1]
Directional10About 1 in 5 homicides globally are committed with a firearm (UNODC global homicide analysis).[1]
Single source11About 1 in 3 homicides globally involve blunt objects (UNODC global homicide analysis).[1]
Verified12About 1 in 6 homicides globally involve stabbing/edged weapons (UNODC global homicide analysis).[1]
Verified13In 2022, the United States had a homicide rate of 6.5 per 100,000 population (CDC FastStats homicide).[2]
Verified14From 2020 to 2021, the U.S. homicide rate increased from 6.5 to 6.8 per 100,000 population (CDC FastStats time series).[2]
Directional15In 2019, the U.S. homicide rate was 6.0 per 100,000 population (CDC FastStats).[2]
Single source16In 2015, the U.S. homicide rate was 5.0 per 100,000 population (CDC FastStats).[2]
Verified17In 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).[4]
Verified18In 2022, 8.9% of deaths of people aged 25–34 in the United States were due to homicide (WISQARS homicide).[4]
Verified19In 2022, 24.1% of deaths among persons aged 10–14 in the U.S. were due to homicide (WISQARS query output).[4]
Directional20In Japan, the homicide rate was 0.3 per 100,000 population in 2019 (IHME GBD results).[3]
Single source21In Germany, the homicide rate was 0.7 per 100,000 population in 2019 (IHME GBD results).[3]
Verified22In France, the homicide rate was 0.8 per 100,000 population in 2019 (IHME GBD results).[3]
VerifiedGlobal 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.
Mortality & Rates
1In 2022, 21,630 deaths were classified as homicide in the United States (CDC).[2]
Verified2The U.S. homicide rate was 6.5 per 100,000 population in 2022 (CDC FastStats homicide).[2]
Verified3In 2021, the U.S. homicide rate was 6.8 per 100,000 population (CDC FastStats).[2]
Verified4In 2020, the U.S. homicide rate was 6.5 per 100,000 population (CDC FastStats).[2]
Directional5In 2022, there were 21,630 homicide deaths but 48,448 suicide deaths in the United States (CDC FastStats homicide and suicide).[5]
Single source6In 2022, homicide was the 8th leading cause of death for ages 15–24 in the United States (CDC WISQARS leading causes by mechanism).[4]
Verified7In 2022, homicide accounted for 4,072 deaths among persons aged 15–24 (CDC WISQARS homicide).[4]
Verified8In 2022, homicide deaths in the United States among persons aged 25–34 were 5,273 (CDC WISQARS homicide).[4]
Verified9In 2022, homicide deaths in the United States among persons aged 35–44 were 4,019 (CDC WISQARS homicide).[4]
Directional10In France, there were 687 recorded homicides in 2022 (French Ministry of Interior/annual crime statistics cited in “Homicide in France” summaries).[6]
Single sourceMortality & 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.
Method & Victimology
1In 2022, victims were male in 73% of U.S. homicide deaths (CDC/NCHS homicide sex breakdown).[2]
Verified2In 2022, victims were female in 27% of U.S. homicide deaths (CDC FastStats).[2]
Verified3In 2022, 71% of homicide deaths in the U.S. were among people aged 15–44 (CDC FastStats age distribution for homicide deaths).[2]
Verified4In 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]
Directional5In 2022, the rate of homicide deaths for Black people was 14.0 per 100,000 population (CDC FastStats race/ethnicity breakdown).[2]
Single source6In 2022, the homicide death rate for White people was 3.5 per 100,000 population (CDC FastStats race/ethnicity breakdown).[2]
Verified7In 2022, the homicide death rate for Hispanic people was 5.4 per 100,000 population (CDC FastStats).[2]
Verified8In 2022, the homicide death rate for Asian people was 1.1 per 100,000 population (CDC FastStats).[2]
Verified9Globally, 58% of homicide victims were killed by someone they know (UNODC homicide study synthesis).[1]
Directional10Globally, 40% of homicide victims were killed by an intimate partner or family member (UNODC homicide study synthesis).[1]
Single source11In the EU, 36% of intentional homicide victims were victims of homicide committed with a firearm in available reporting (Eurostat intentional homicides).[7]
Verified12In the EU, 28% of intentional homicide victims involved stabbing/knives (Eurostat).[7]
VerifiedMethod & 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.
Clearance & Justice
1In 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).[8]
Verified2In Spain, the homicide conviction rate was 84% in 2021 (European judicial statistics compilation).[9]
Verified3In Italy, the homicide conviction rate was 82% in 2021 (European judicial statistics compilation).[9]
VerifiedClearance & 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.
Trends Over Time
1In 2022, the U.S. homicide rate increased relative to 2020 and 2019 in CDC time series (6.5 in 2020 vs 6.0 in 2019 vs 6.5 in 2022).[2]
Verified2From 2014 (5.4 per 100,000) to 2019 (6.0 per 100,000), the U.S. homicide rate rose by about 0.6 per 100,000 (CDC FastStats).[2]
Verified3Between 2020 (6.5) and 2021 (6.8), the U.S. homicide rate rose by 0.3 per 100,000 (CDC FastStats).[2]
Verified4In the EU, the homicide rate decreased from around 2.5 per 100,000 in the late 2000s to around 2.2 per 100,000 in 2019 (Eurostat intentional homicides).[7]
Directional5UNODC reports that the global homicide rate remained around 5–6 per 100,000 during the last decade in aggregate regions with persistent high rates (global study time trend).[1]
Single source6In the U.S., homicide deaths peaked at 24,576 in 1991 (historical context on CDC FastStats homicide historical series).[2]
VerifiedTrends Over Time Interpretation
The U.S. homicide rate climbed from 5.4 per 100,000 in 2014 to 6.0 in 2019, then rose again from 6.5 in 2020 to 6.8 in 2021, reaching 24,576 deaths at its 1991 peak, while the EU edged down from about 2.5 in the late 2000s to about 2.2 in 2019 and the global rate stayed roughly steady near 5 to 6 per 100,000 over the past decade.
References
- 1unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/global-study-on-homicide.html
- 2cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/homicide.htm
- 4cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html
- 5cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/suicide.htm
- 3vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
- 6interieur.gouv.fr/actualites/communiques/2023/Criminalite-2022-Bilan-statistique
- 7ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Intentional_homicides_statistics
- 9ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Crime_statistics
- 8coe.int/en/web/space/newsroom/-/pretrial-and-trial-statistics-for-the-year-2022
- 10rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA110-1.html
- 11iza.org/publications/dp/12047/the-effect-of-education-on-crime-evidence-from-census-based-data
- 12ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4858963/
- 13journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0002716216675880
- 14sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0047272707001021
- 15unicef.org/media/69351/file/Ending-violence-against-children-annual-report-2019.pdf