Samoa Crime Rate & Safety
Homicide statistics, crime trends, and travel safety for Samoa
US State Department Travel Advisory
Exercise Normal Precautions
Updated March 10, 2025
Samoa recorded 6.3 intentional homicides per 100,000 people in 2018, a rate that is moderate by global standards. That places Samoa #59 of 195 countries by homicide rate, compared with the Oceania average of 5.9 per 100,000 and a world average of 5.2. Homicide rates have fallen 25% over the past decade (from 8.3 in 2009). For travelers, the US State Department currently rates Samoa at Level 1 of 4: Exercise Normal Precautions.
Homicide Rate
6.3 /100k
Safety Rank
#137 of 195
Travel Advisory
Level 1 of 4
Data Year
2018
Homicide Rate Trend (2009-2018)
Intentional homicides per 100,000 people. Homicide rates have fallen 25% over the past decade (from 8.3 in 2009). Source: UNODC via World Bank.
How Samoa Compares
Intentional homicides per 100,000 people, latest available year per country.
Who Is Affected
In Samoa, the homicide rate for men is 11.8× higher than the rate for women — 11.4 vs 1.0 per 100,000 (2018).
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 Samoa:
Reissued after periodic review with minor edits. Exercise normal precautions in Samoa. Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Samoa. If you decide to travel to Samoa: Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts from the U.S. Embassy. It makes it easier to locate you in an emergency. Review the Country Security Report for Samoa. Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel and return to the United States. We highly recommend that you buy insurance before you travel.
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.
Samoa Population & Demographics
Population of 218,019, growth trends, economy, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Samoa safe to visit?
The US State Department rates Samoa at Level 1 of 4 (Exercise Normal Precautions). The homicide rate of 6.3 per 100,000 is moderate by global standards.
What is the crime rate in Samoa?
Samoa has an intentional homicide rate of 6.3 per 100,000 people (2018, World Bank/UNODC), ranking #59 of 195 countries.
What is the US travel advisory level for Samoa?
Samoa 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 Samoa compare to other countries?
Samoa's homicide rate of 6.3 per 100,000 is above the world average of 5.2 and above the Oceania average of 5.9.