El Salvador Crime Rate & Safety
Homicide statistics, crime trends, and travel safety for El Salvador
US State Department Travel Advisory
Exercise Normal Precautions
Updated April 8, 2025
El Salvador recorded 7.9 intentional homicides per 100,000 people in 2022, a rate that is moderate by global standards. That places El Salvador #49 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 81% over the past decade (from 42.4 in 2012). For travelers, the US State Department currently rates El Salvador at Level 1 of 4: Exercise Normal Precautions.
Homicide Rate
7.9 /100k
Safety Rank
#147 of 195
Travel Advisory
Level 1 of 4
Data Year
2022
Homicide Rate Trend (1994-2022)
Intentional homicides per 100,000 people. Homicide rates have fallen 81% over the past decade (from 42.4 in 2012). Source: UNODC via World Bank.
How El Salvador Compares
Intentional homicides per 100,000 people, latest available year per country.
Who Is Affected
In El Salvador, the homicide rate for men is 6.6× higher than the rate for women — 14.3 vs 2.1 per 100,000 (2022).
Homicide victims per 100,000 of each sex. Source: UNODC via World Bank.
Safety for Travelers
Summary of the current US State Department advisory for El Salvador:
Updated due to change in travel advisory level to reflect changes in crime. Country Summary: Exercise normal precautions in El Salvador. Gang activity has decreased over the last three years. This has caused a drop in violent crimes and murders. U.S. government employees working in El Salvador are allowed to travel throughout the country during daylight hours. However, due to the risks, U.S. government employees are prohibited from traveling between cities or departments at night. There are exceptions. U.S.
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Level 4
Do Not Travel
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.
El Salvador Population & Demographics
Population of 6,338,193, growth trends, economy, and more.
Crime & Safety in Neighboring Countries
Frequently Asked Questions
Is El Salvador safe to visit?
The US State Department rates El Salvador at Level 1 of 4 (Exercise Normal Precautions). Cited risks include crime. The homicide rate of 7.9 per 100,000 is moderate by global standards.
What is the crime rate in El Salvador?
El Salvador has an intentional homicide rate of 7.9 per 100,000 people (2022, World Bank/UNODC), ranking #49 of 195 countries.
What is the US travel advisory level for El Salvador?
El Salvador is currently at Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions. Advisory levels range from Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) to Level 4 (Do Not Travel).
How does crime in El Salvador compare to other countries?
El Salvador's homicide rate of 7.9 per 100,000 is above the world average of 5.2 and below the Americas average of 20.8.