Causes of death
Homicide deaths in the US
Homicide killed 17,272 people in the United States in 2025, making it the #17 cause of death. Adjusted for the country's aging population, the death rate is 5.3 per 100,000, down 12% from 6.0 in 1999.
Homicide deaths per year, 1999 to 2025
Data table
| Year | Deaths | Crude rate per 100,000 | Age-adjusted rate per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 16,889 | 6.053 | 5.988 |
| 2000 | 16,765 | 5.957 | 5.896 |
| 2001 | 20,308 | 7.126 | 7.093 |
| 2002 | 17,638 | 6.132 | 6.101 |
| 2003 | 17,732 | 6.112 | 6.072 |
| 2004 | 17,357 | 5.928 | 5.892 |
| 2005 | 18,124 | 6.133 | 6.115 |
| 2006 | 18,573 | 6.225 | 6.229 |
| 2007 | 18,361 | 6.095 | 6.132 |
| 2008 | 17,826 | 5.862 | 5.915 |
| 2009 | 16,799 | 5.476 | 5.534 |
| 2010 | 16,259 | 5.266 | 5.3 |
| 2011 | 16,238 | 5.211 | 5.276 |
| 2012 | 16,688 | 5.316 | 5.415 |
| 2013 | 16,121 | 5.1 | 5.183 |
| 2014 | 15,872 | 4.978 | 5.093 |
| 2015 | 17,793 | 5.536 | 5.656 |
| 2016 | 19,362 | 5.992 | 6.163 |
| 2017 | 19,510 | 5.99 | 6.162 |
| 2018 | 18,830 | 5.755 | 5.934 |
| 2019 | 19,141 | 5.831 | 6.031 |
| 2020 | 24,576 | 7.459 | 7.773 |
| 2021 | 26,031 | 7.843 | 8.173 |
| 2022 | 24,849 | 7.456 | 7.742 |
| 2023 | 22,830 | 6.817 | 7.089 |
| 2024 | 20,162 | 5.928 | 6.166 |
| 2025 | 17,272 | 5.078 | 5.268 |
It ranked #14 in 1999 and #17 in 2025, and has been as high as #13.
What homicide means here
Homicide means deaths from assault, as recorded on death certificates. Firearms are involved in most of them. Deaths rose sharply in 2020 and 2021 and have fallen since. The risk is concentrated among young men, and it varies a lot by place.
CDC category: Assault (homicide) (*U01-*U02,X85-Y09,Y87.1)
What stands out in the 2025 data
- It accounted for 0.6% of all US deaths in 2025, about 1 in 179.
- Deaths peaked in 2021 at 26,031. 2025 is 34% below it.
- 92% of the people who died of it were under 65.
- Men were 78% of the deaths, and their age-adjusted death rate was 3.7 times the rate for women.
Who dies of homicide
| Age | Deaths | Per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 | 189 | 5.2 |
| 1 to 4 | 212 | 1.4 |
| 5 to 14 | 374 | 0.9 |
| 15 to 24 | 4,099 | 9.2 |
| 25 to 34 | 3,927 | 8.5 |
| 35 to 44 | 3,492 | 7.7 |
| 45 to 54 | 2,143 | 5.3 |
| 55 to 64 | 1,480 | 3.6 |
| 65 to 74 | 848 | 2.4 |
| 75 to 84 | 400 | 2.1 |
| 85 and over | 107 | 1.7 |
| Sex | Deaths | Age-adjusted rate |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 3,748 | 2.2 |
| Men | 13,524 | 8.2 |
Common questions
How many people die of homicide in the US each year?
Homicide caused 17,272 deaths in the United States in 2025 (CDC provisional data), compared with 16,889 in 1999.
Is the homicide death rate going up or down?
The age-adjusted death rate for homicide was 5.3 per 100,000 in 2025, down 12% from 6.0 in 1999. Age adjustment removes the effect of the population getting older, so it shows whether the risk per person changed, not just the raw count.
Where does homicide rank among causes of death?
It ranked #14 in 1999 and #17 in 2025, and has been as high as #13. The top causes in 2025 were heart disease, cancer and accidents.
Who dies of homicide?
Most deaths, and the highest death rate, were in people aged 15 to 24 (4,099 deaths in 2025). 13,524 men and 3,748 women died of it.
Where does this data come from?
CDC WONDER, the National Center for Health Statistics death certificate data, using the NCHS list of 113 selected causes. Counts for 2025 are provisional and can be revised slightly upward.
Keep reading
- Suicide · 49,071 deaths in 2025, #11
- Accidents · 186,344 deaths in 2025, #3
- Birth defects · 10,081 deaths in 2025, #20
- Homicide and firearm deaths over time
Source: CDC WONDER, Underlying Cause of Death, NCHS 113 selected causes. 2025 counts are provisional. Explore more on the Causes of Death page, or see what kills people your age.