Poverty and living standards in Santa Marta, Colombia: official figures
DANE's census-based measure put the multidimensional poverty rate in Santa Marta at 24.4% in 2018, 28th highest of 74 Colombian cities on this site; across all Colombian municipalities, weighted by population, the rate was 26.1%.
Is poverty higher in rural Santa Marta?
In the 2018 census measure, multidimensional poverty reached 22.9% in the urban centre of Santa Marta and 41.4% in its small settlements and rural areas, a gap of 18.5 points (rural higher); nationally the figures were 21.0% and 41.1%.
Source: Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE) · saved copyWhat are the biggest causes of poverty in Santa Marta?
The most common household deprivations in Santa Marta in the 2018 census were informal employment (87.1% of households), high economic dependency (35.6%) and low educational achievement (34.2%).
Source: Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE) · saved copyHow many people in Santa Marta work informally?
In Santa Marta, 87.1% of households were deprived on informal employment (an employed member not paying into a pension fund) in 2018, 22nd highest of 74 Colombian cities on this site (all municipalities, population-weighted: 80.8%); 0.8% had child labour and 35.6% had three or more people per employed member.
Source: Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE) · saved copyHow many households in Santa Marta live in overcrowded homes?
19.4% of households in Santa Marta lived in critical overcrowding, 3.1% had inadequate floors and 2.4% inadequate walls in 2018; the overcrowding rate was 7th highest of 74 Colombian cities on this site (national: 9.9%).
Source: Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE) · saved copyHow many households in Santa Marta lack clean water?
In Santa Marta, 18.4% of households had no improved water source and 13.9% inadequate sanitation in 2018, 9th highest of 74 Colombian cities on this site on water access (national: 12.5% and 13.9%).
Source: Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE) · saved copyWhat is the murder rate in Santa Marta?
The National Police recorded 170 homicide victims in Santa Marta in 2025, a rate of 29.2 per 100,000 residents, 28th highest of 74 Colombian cities on this site (2019: 24.2 per 100,000, 125 victims).
Source: Ministerio de Defensa Nacional (Policía Nacional) · saved copyIs crime falling in Santa Marta?
Homicide victims in Santa Marta numbered 195 in 2023, 198 in 2024 and 170 in 2025; averaged over those three years the rate was 32.7 per 100,000, 22nd highest of 74 Colombian cities on this site.
Source: Ministerio de Defensa Nacional (Policía Nacional) · saved copyHow many murders happen in Santa Marta each year?
Between 2015 and 2025 the number of homicide victims recorded in Santa Marta was highest in 2024 (198) and lowest in 2015 (77).
Source: Ministerio de Defensa Nacional (Policía Nacional) · saved copyHow many women are murdered in Santa Marta?
Women and girls were 7.8% of the 1,530 homicide victims recorded in Santa Marta over 2015-2025 (119 victims); in 2025 they numbered 9.
Source: Ministerio de Defensa Nacional (Policía Nacional) · saved copyHas the murder rate in Santa Marta gone up?
The homicide rate in Santa Marta was 29.2 per 100,000 in 2025 against 24.2 in 2019, a change of +5.0, 29th largest rise of 74 Colombian cities on this site.
Source: Ministerio de Defensa Nacional (Policía Nacional) · saved copyHow Santa Marta compares with other cities in Colombia
Multidimensional poverty, 2018 census (DANE municipal measure) (2018)
Santa Marta ranks 28 of 74, highest first.
| Rank | City | Multidimensional poverty, 2018 census (DANE municipal measure) |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | Barrancabermeja | 26.4% |
| 26 | Cúcuta | 25.7% |
| 27 | Villa del Rosario | 24.6% |
| 28 | Santa Marta | 24.4% |
| 29 | Santander de Quilichao | 23.8% |
| 30 | Ipiales | 23.4% |
| 31 | Yopal | 22.9% |
Households deprived: informal work, 2018 census (2018)
Santa Marta ranks 22 of 74, highest first.
| Rank | City | Households deprived: informal work, 2018 census |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | Turbo | 87.6% |
| 20 | Aguachica | 87.6% |
| 21 | Valledupar | 87.5% |
| 22 | Santa Marta | 87.1% |
| 23 | Cúcuta | 87.0% |
| 24 | Cartagena | 86.6% |
| 25 | Montería | 86.2% |
Households deprived: critical overcrowding, 2018 census (2018)
Santa Marta ranks 7 of 74, highest first.
| Rank | City | Households deprived: critical overcrowding, 2018 census |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Riohacha | 25.1% |
| 5 | Aguachica | 21.2% |
| 6 | Valledupar | 19.5% |
| 7 | Santa Marta | 19.4% |
| 8 | Villa del Rosario | 18.9% |
| 9 | Sabanalarga | 18.8% |
| 10 | Cereté | 18.5% |
Rural minus urban multidimensional poverty, points, 2018 census (2018)
Santa Marta ranks 34 of 74, highest first.
| Rank | City | Rural minus urban multidimensional poverty, points, 2018 census |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Girón | +18.8 |
| 32 | Cartagena | +18.7 |
| 33 | Girardot | +18.6 |
| 34 | Santa Marta | +18.5 |
| 35 | Manizales | +18.5 |
| 36 | Villa del Rosario | +17.8 |
| 37 | Pasto | +17.7 |
Homicide victims per 100,000 residents, 2025 (2025)
Santa Marta ranks 28 of 74, highest first.
| Rank | City | Homicide victims per 100,000 residents, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | Turbaco | 32.2 |
| 26 | Malambo | 29.7 |
| 27 | Maicao | 29.5 |
| 28 | Santa Marta | 29.2 |
| 29 | Soledad | 28.9 |
| 30 | Ipiales | 28.7 |
| 31 | Sabanalarga | 28.5 |
Homicide victims per 100,000 residents, 2023-2025 average (2023-2025)
Santa Marta ranks 22 of 74, highest first.
| Rank | City | Homicide victims per 100,000 residents, 2023-2025 average |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | Buenaventura | 35.1 |
| 20 | Ipiales | 34.0 |
| 21 | Barranquilla | 33.8 |
| 22 | Santa Marta | 32.7 |
| 23 | Pereira | 32.2 |
| 24 | Aguachica | 31.5 |
| 25 | Arauca | 31.3 |
Change in homicide rate per 100,000, 2019 to 2025 (2019-2025)
Santa Marta ranks 29 of 74, highest first.
| Rank | City | Change in homicide rate per 100,000, 2019 to 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | Mosquera | +6.6 |
| 27 | Quibdo | +6.1 |
| 28 | Ocaña | +5.1 |
| 29 | Santa Marta | +5.0 |
| 30 | Aguachica | +4.6 |
| 31 | Buenaventura | +3.9 |
| 32 | Facatativá | +3.5 |
More on Santa Marta: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · all cities in Colombia
Sources
- Ministerio de Defensa Nacional (Policía Nacional): HOMICIDIO: victims of homicide by municipality, year and sex, 2015-2025 (datos.gov.co aggregate query; saved as homicidio.request.txt), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7d12dcde8b9b…)
- Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE): Medida de pobreza multidimensional municipal de fuente censal 2018: municipal incidence (urban and rural) and household deprivations by indicator, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a3ac3a60498a…)
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