Ranking the Best States for Gun Owners in 2022 (2024)

FAQs

Which state is hardest to buy a gun in? ›

Hawaii is the #1 worst state for gun owners due to strict purchasing and carry laws, as well as defying the Supreme Court on the individual's right to carry. California is the #2 worst state for gun owners due to its permit-to-purchase and reciprocity laws.

Montana has the highest rate of gun ownership, followed by Wyoming, Alaska, Idaho, and West Virginia. On the contrary, New Jersey has the lowest rate, with Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Hawaii, and New York trailing closely behind.

Mexico, Guatemala, and the United States stand out because they have made gun ownership a constitutional right. Thus, they can be called the most gun-friendly countries or the countries with the easiest gun laws in the world. However, even in these countries, limitations may exist on specific firearms.

Texas was the state with the highest number of registered weapons in the United States in 2021, with 1,006,555 firearms. Rhode Island, on the other hand, had the least, with 4,887 registered firearms.

As of 2024, Mississippi was the state with the highest gun violence rate per 100,000 residents in the United States, at 29.7 percent, followed by Louisiana, at 28.2 percent. In comparison, Rhode Island had a gun violence rate of 3.1 percent, the lowest out of all the states.

California is the state with the strictest gun laws, and it also has the seventh-lowest rate of deaths by gun violence.

White men have the highest rates of gun ownership

They're also more likely to live in rural areas and identify as Republican. About 48% of White men say they own a gun, the Pew survey found. By contrast, 24% of White women and 24% of non-White men said they owned a gun.

Leading states for gun law strength in the U.S. 2024

California led the way in gun safety in the United States as of January 2024, with a composite score of 89.5 based on the presence of 50 key gun safety policies. New York followed, with a score of 83.5, while Illinois rounded out the top three with a score of 83.

What countries ban guns ? The countries that ban guns are Brunei, Cambodia, Comoros, East Timor, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Nauru, North Korea, Palau, Solomon Islands, Somalia, and Vatican City.

What state has the most gun ownership per capita? ›

Guns per Capita by State

Wyoming has, by far, the highest number of guns per capita. Of Wyoming's 581,075 people, there are 132,806 registered guns. The four other states with the highest number of guns per capita (guns per 1,000 people) are: New Hampshire (47), New Mexico (46), Virginia (36), and Alabama (33).

Approximately 16.7 million firearms were sold in the U.S. in 2023, a 4% decline from 2022. Texas, Florida, and California lead the nation in total gun sales, accounting for 22% of guns sold in 2024 to date. Montana, Wyoming, and Alaska had the highest gun sales rates in 2023.

States With Highest Gun Ownership

The states with the highest gun ownership rates are Montana, Wyoming, West Virginia, Idaho, Alaska, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Mississippi, North Dakota, and Alabama. The state with the highest gun ownership rate is Montana, with a household firearm ownership rate of 65.7%.

Our data placed St. Louis at the top of the list for the highest number of gun-related injuries per 10,000 residents (18.6) as well as the highest incidence of gun-related deaths (9.1 per 10,000 people). However, Ocala, Florida is another city that has to be in the spotlight when it comes to firearm-related incidents.

Texas, Florida, and California lead the nation in total gun sales, accounting for 22% of guns sold in 2024 to date. Montana, Wyoming, and Alaska had the highest gun sales rates in 2023. In Montana, 1,586 guns were sold for every 10,000 residents aged 21+.

Mississippi has among the weakest gun laws in the country. The state has none of the foundational gun laws in place, and only a few policies total—having most recently repealed the requirement to get a permit before carrying a concealed handgun in public. It also has the single worst rate of gun deaths in the country.

State-by-State Analysis of Gun Prices

Additionally, California imposes additional taxes and fees on firearms, further driving up the cost. On the other hand, states like Texas and Arizona tend to have lower gun prices. These states have more lenient gun laws and regulations, which can lead to lower costs.