Puerto Rico Crime Rate & Safety
Homicide statistics, crime trends, and travel safety for Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico recorded 14.6 intentional homicides per 100,000 people in 2023, a rate that is high by global standards. That places Puerto Rico #29 of 195 countries by homicide rate, compared with the Americas average of 20.8 per 100,000 and a world average of 5.2. Homicide rates have fallen 43% over the past decade (from 25.6 in 2013).
Homicide Rate
14.6 /100k
Safety Rank
#167 of 195
Travel Advisory
N/A
Data Year
2023
Homicide Rate Trend (1990-2023)
Intentional homicides per 100,000 people. Homicide rates have fallen 43% over the past decade (from 25.6 in 2013). Source: UNODC via World Bank.
How Puerto Rico Compares
Intentional homicides per 100,000 people, latest available year per country.
Who Is Affected
In Puerto Rico, the homicide rate for men is 11.6× higher than the rate for women — 27.7 vs 2.4 per 100,000 (2023).
Homicide victims per 100,000 of each sex. Source: UNODC via World Bank.
About This Data
Homicide figures are intentional homicides per 100,000 people, compiled by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and published by the World Bank (indicator VC.IHR.PSRC.P5). Homicide is the most reliably comparable crime statistic across countries because definitions of other offences (assault, theft, robbery) vary widely between national legal systems and reporting practices.
Travel advisory levels are issued by the US Department of State and updated continuously. They reflect risks to travelers including crime, terrorism, civil unrest, health, and natural disasters — not only crime rates. Countries report crime data with different lags; the most recent available year is shown for each metric.
Puerto Rico Population & Demographics
Population of 3,203,295, growth trends, economy, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Puerto Rico safe to visit?
A current US travel advisory is not available for Puerto Rico. Its homicide rate of 14.6 per 100,000 (2023) is high by global standards.
What is the crime rate in Puerto Rico?
Puerto Rico has an intentional homicide rate of 14.6 per 100,000 people (2023, World Bank/UNODC), ranking #29 of 195 countries.
What is the US travel advisory level for Puerto Rico?
No current US State Department travel advisory is available for Puerto Rico.
How does crime in Puerto Rico compare to other countries?
Puerto Rico's homicide rate of 14.6 per 100,000 is above the world average of 5.2 and below the Americas average of 20.8.