Male homicide rate in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico: Male homicide rate was 27.69 homicides per 100,000 population in 2023. ▼ Falling
Male homicide rate in Puerto Rico, 1990–2023
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 per 100,000 population.
Analysis
Puerto Rico recorded 27.69 homicides per 100,000 population for male homicide rate in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 18.5% on the previous year and down 45.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, male homicide rate in Puerto Rico peaked at 62.22 homicides per 100,000 population in 2011 and was at its lowest, 27.69 homicides per 100,000 population, in 2023.
That places Puerto Rico 21st out of 138 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Male homicide rate in Puerto Rico, year by year
| Year | homicides per 100,000 population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 30.6 homicides per 100,000 population | — |
| 1991 | 40.92 homicides per 100,000 population | +33.7% |
| 1992 | 45.14 homicides per 100,000 population | +10.3% |
| 1993 | 48.58 homicides per 100,000 population | +7.6% |
| 1994 | 51.42 homicides per 100,000 population | +5.8% |
| 1995 | 44.06 homicides per 100,000 population | -14.3% |
| 1996 | 44.08 homicides per 100,000 population | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 36.84 homicides per 100,000 population | -16.4% |
| 1998 | 32.62 homicides per 100,000 population | -11.5% |
| 1999 | 29.36 homicides per 100,000 population | -10.0% |
| 2000 | 35.97 homicides per 100,000 population | +22.5% |
| 2001 | 39.94 homicides per 100,000 population | +11.0% |
| 2002 | 41.29 homicides per 100,000 population | +3.4% |
| 2003 | 41.47 homicides per 100,000 population | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 42.44 homicides per 100,000 population | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 41.69 homicides per 100,000 population | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 40.69 homicides per 100,000 population | -2.4% |
| 2007 | 40.08 homicides per 100,000 population | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 45.04 homicides per 100,000 population | +12.4% |
| 2009 | 50.26 homicides per 100,000 population | +11.6% |
| 2010 | 54.28 homicides per 100,000 population | +8.0% |
| 2011 | 62.22 homicides per 100,000 population | +14.6% |
| 2012 | 53.46 homicides per 100,000 population | -14.1% |
| 2013 | 50.56 homicides per 100,000 population | -5.4% |
| 2014 | 38.33 homicides per 100,000 population | -24.2% |
| 2015 | 34.39 homicides per 100,000 population | -10.3% |
| 2016 | 39.18 homicides per 100,000 population | +13.9% |
| 2017 | 43.17 homicides per 100,000 population | +10.2% |
| 2018 | 39.39 homicides per 100,000 population | -8.7% |
| 2019 | 38.05 homicides per 100,000 population | -3.4% |
| 2020 | 32.68 homicides per 100,000 population | -14.1% |
| 2021 | 38.75 homicides per 100,000 population | +18.6% |
| 2022 | 33.96 homicides per 100,000 population | -12.4% |
| 2023 | 27.69 homicides per 100,000 population | -18.5% |
Puerto Rico compared with similar countries
- Puerto Rico's 27.69 homicides per 100,000 population is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.45 homicides per 100,000 population, 19.2× the median. (70 countries reporting)
- Puerto Rico's 27.69 homicides per 100,000 population is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 27.39 homicides per 100,000 population, 1.0× the median. (40 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 40.36 homicides per 100,000 population | 29.36 homicides per 100,000 population | 51.42 homicides per 100,000 population | 10 |
| 2000s | 41.89 homicides per 100,000 population | 35.97 homicides per 100,000 population | 50.26 homicides per 100,000 population | 10 |
| 2010s | 45.3 homicides per 100,000 population | 34.39 homicides per 100,000 population | 62.22 homicides per 100,000 population | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.27 homicides per 100,000 population | 27.69 homicides per 100,000 population | 38.75 homicides per 100,000 population | 4 |
Countries ranked near Puerto Rico
- 18 Brazil 34.66 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 19 Costa Rica 33.09 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 20 Curacao 32.62 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 22 Guyana 27.08 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 23 Grenada 25.53 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 24 Seychelles 24.17 homicides per 100,000 population compare
More gender data for Puerto Rico
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 304.32 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -3.3 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 2,836 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 2,836 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate -0.4793 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 9,368 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 9,833 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 9,386 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 9,848 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 9,336 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is male homicide rate in Puerto Rico?
- Male homicide rate in Puerto Rico was 27.69 homicides per 100,000 population 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 male homicide rate recorded in Puerto Rico?
- The highest recorded value was 62.22 homicides per 100,000 population in 2011.
- What is the lowest male homicide rate recorded in Puerto Rico?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.69 homicides per 100,000 population in 2023.
- How does Puerto Rico rank for male homicide rate?
- Puerto Rico ranks 21st out of 138 countries with data for 2023.
- Is male homicide rate rising or falling in Puerto Rico?
- Over the last ten years it is down 45.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Puerto Rico 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 Male homicide rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Intentional homicide rate per 100,000 populationof male victims.