Salvadoran Police. The overall Central America Homicide Rate stood at 15.9 per 100,000 people in 2025, well below the Caribbean Homicide Rate of 36.1. Within Central America, though, the numbers tell very different stories.
El Salvador recorded the lowest rate among the five countries with reported figures, while Honduras recorded the highest. For a longer view, see how El Salvador’s homicide rate has changed over time.
The five countries recorded 7,019 homicides across a population of about 44.3 million. Nicaragua sits outside the calculation because there is no data available.
| Rank | Country | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2024–2025 % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Salvador | 2.4 | 1.89 | 1.36 | -28.4% |
| 2 | Panama | 11.5 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 0.0% |
| 3 | Costa Rica | 17.7 | 17.0 | 16.8 | -1.2% |
| 4 | Guatemala | 16.7 | 16.1 | 17.4 | 8.1% |
| 5 | Honduras | 31.1 | 25.3 | 23.2 | -8.3% |
| — | Nicaragua | — | — | — | — |
| Combined Homicide Rate | 15.9 | 15.9 | -0.6% | ||
Best and Worst Central American Homicide Rates
El Salvador posted the lowest reported rate at 1.36 homicides per 100,000 people. Panama came next at 12.9, followed by Costa Rica at 16.8 and Guatemala at 17.4.
Honduras had the highest rate at 23.2 per 100,000, down from 25.3 a year earlier. It recorded 2,332 homicides, the second-highest total in the five-country comparison.
Guatemala recorded the most homicides, with 3,139. Honduras had the higher rate because it had a smaller population. Together, the two countries accounted for nearly 78% of the homicides in the region.
This difference is important when looking at the rankings. The count shows how many people died, while the rate puts that number in context with the population. This lets you compare countries of different sizes.
Best and Worst Performers by Percentage Change
El Salvador saw the biggest improvement. Its reported rate fell from 1.89 in 2024 to 1.36 in 2025, a drop of about 28.4%.
Honduras had the next-largest decline at about 8%, even as it remained at the top of the homicide-rate ranking. Costa Rica’s rate dipped by about 1%, while Panama held steady at 12.9.
Guatemala was the only country in the comparison where the rate rose. It climbed roughly 8%, from 16.1 to 17.4, enough to move Guatemala above Costa Rica in the 2025 rankings.
Central America Compared With the Caribbean and Latin America
Central America’s combined rate of 15.9 was 1.3 homicides per 100,000 below the Latin American figure of 17.2. The gap with the Caribbean was much wider, at 20.2 per 100,000.
When Central American and Caribbean totals are combined (Without Central America), the rate is 23.9 per 100,000. The broader “All Countries” group, which includes more Latin American countries, had a rate of 18.5.
To get a combined rate, you divide the total number of homicides by the total population and multiply by 100,000. This method gives more weight to larger populations and shows the overall impact across all included countries.
Central America’s homicide rate rounded to 15.9 in both years, even though the numbers shifted within the region. Guatemala’s rate went up, while rates in El Salvador and Honduras went down.
Central America Homicide Rate: What the Regional Numbers Tell You
One year gives you a snapshot. Several years give you a better sense of direction. Honduras, for example, went from 31.1 in 2023 to 25.3 in 2024 and 23.2 in 2025.
Homicide rates measure one part of public safety. For more on the policies and changes behind El Salvador’s figures, read how public security has changed in El Salvador.
If you’re comparing these figures with another report, check which countries it covers and how it counts homicides. InSight Crime’s annual homicide roundup explains why some national figures are difficult to compare.
