The 50 Most Violent Cities in the World: 39 Cities Located in Latin America

Seventeen of the 50 Most Violent Cities in the World are located in Mexico. Colombia ranks second with eight cities, followed by Ecuador with seven. Brazil and South Africa each have six cities on the list.

The United States has three cities in the ranking, while Guatemala, Haiti, and Trinidad and Tobago each have one city among the world’s 50 most violent urban areas.

Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, ranks as the most violent city globally for the second consecutive year. Port-au-Prince recorded a homicide rate of 197.43 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025, the highest in the world and the second-highest rate ever documented.

The only higher homicide rate recorded occurred in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, in 2010, when the city reached 283.58 homicides per 100,000 residents during the height of cartel-related violence.

Babahoyo, Ecuador, ranks as the second most violent city in 2025, with 166.02 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants. Ecuador now has seven cities in the ranking, including four previously listed and three new entries.

Six of the ten most violent cities in the world are now located in Ecuador, highlighting the country’s rapidly worsening security crisis. Much of the violence is linked to clashes among local criminal groups tied to rival Mexican drug trafficking organizations.

Mexico’s Improvement

For the first time since 2013, only two Mexican cities appear among the ten most violent cities globally. Despite this shift, Mexico still has the most cities on the list, with 17 in total.

While several Mexican cities show lower homicide rates compared with previous years, experts question whether the apparent decline reflects genuine improvements in security or possible underreporting in official statistics.

If homicides have been underreported, the real levels of violence in many Mexican cities could be significantly higher than those shown in the ranking.

Security experts indicate that Mexico lacks an independent mechanism to verify crime statistics objectively. Without such oversight, criminal data may be susceptible to political influence, which undermines confidence in official figures.

Central American Cities in the Top 50 Most Violent Cities

Central America has limited representation in the latest ranking of the world’s 50 most violent cities. Only one city from the region appears on the list, highlighting how the regional landscape has shifted.

Guatemala City is the sole Central American city included, ranking 35th worldwide. The city recorded a homicide rate of 36.89 per 100,000 residents, placing it within the lower half of the global ranking.

The result marks a change from the previous year, when no Central American cities appeared on the list

50 Most Violent Cities in the World

The 50 most violent cities in the world in 2024 highlight a troubling reality for Latin America, particularly Mexico, which has 17 cities on the list.

Overall, 39 of the 50 cities are located in Latin America, underscoring the region’s persistent struggle with violent crime.

This widespread violence shapes daily life for millions of people, creating constant fear and insecurity. Families struggle to maintain stability, while many communities face weakened institutions, strained public services, and fewer opportunities for economic and social progress.

Previous Years Most Violent Cities in the World