Data / Rankings / Firearm death rate / US states

US states by firearm death rate

Alaska had the highest firearm death rate of 51 states in 2015, at 23.4 per 100,000 people. Massachusetts had the lowest, at 3 per 100,000 people. The median was 12 per 100,000 people. Source: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Highest23.4Alaska
Lowest3Massachusetts
Median1251 states

Map of states, 2015

Alabama: 19.6 per 100,000 peopleAlaska: 23.4 per 100,000 peopleArizona: 13.8 per 100,000 peopleArkansas: 16.9 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia: 7.7 per 100,000 peopleColorado: 12.6 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut: 5.3 per 100,000 peopleDelaware: 12.1 per 100,000 peopleDistrict of Columbia: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleFlorida: 12 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia: 14.1 per 100,000 peopleHawaii: 3.6 per 100,000 peopleIdaho: 14.7 per 100,000 peopleIllinois: 9.5 per 100,000 peopleIndiana: 12.7 per 100,000 peopleIowa: 7.8 per 100,000 peopleKansas: 11.4 per 100,000 peopleKentucky: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana: 20.4 per 100,000 peopleMaine: 9.8 per 100,000 peopleMaryland: 11.9 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts: 3 per 100,000 peopleMichigan: 11.7 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota: 7.4 per 100,000 peopleMississippi: 19.6 per 100,000 peopleMissouri: 18.1 per 100,000 peopleMontana: 19.2 per 100,000 peopleNebraska: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleNevada: 14.9 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey: 5.4 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico: 18.6 per 100,000 peopleNew York: 4.2 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina: 12.5 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota: 12.8 per 100,000 peopleOhio: 11.9 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma: 18 per 100,000 peopleOregon: 11.4 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania: 11.4 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island: 4.7 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina: 17.3 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota: 11.1 per 100,000 peopleTennessee: 16 per 100,000 peopleTexas: 11.7 per 100,000 peopleUtah: 12.8 per 100,000 peopleVermont: 9.6 per 100,000 peopleVirginia: 10.9 per 100,000 peopleWashington: 9.8 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia: 14 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin: 10.4 per 100,000 peopleWyoming: 19.6 per 100,000 people
  • Under 8.2
  • 8.2 to 11
  • 11 to 12
  • 12 to 14
  • 14 to 18
  • 18 and over
per 100,000 people, 2015. Source: CDC, NCHS Stats of the States: firearm mortality by state, age-adjusted death rate. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2015

Alaska: 23.4 per 100,000 peopleAlaska23.4Louisiana: 20.4 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana20.4Alabama: 19.6 per 100,000 peopleAlabama19.6Mississippi: 19.6 per 100,000 peopleMississippi19.6Wyoming: 19.6 per 100,000 peopleWyoming19.6Montana: 19.2 per 100,000 peopleMontana19.2New Mexico: 18.6 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico18.6Missouri: 18.1 per 100,000 peopleMissouri18.1Oklahoma: 18 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma18South Carolina: 17.3 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina17.3Arkansas: 16.9 per 100,000 peopleArkansas16.9Tennessee: 16 per 100,000 peopleTennessee16District of Columbia: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleDistrict of Columbia15.2Kentucky: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleKentucky15.2Nevada: 14.9 per 100,000 peopleNevada14.9Idaho: 14.7 per 100,000 peopleIdaho14.7Georgia: 14.1 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia14.1West Virginia: 14 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia14Arizona: 13.8 per 100,000 peopleArizona13.8North Dakota: 12.8 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota12.8Utah: 12.8 per 100,000 peopleUtah12.8Indiana: 12.7 per 100,000 peopleIndiana12.7Colorado: 12.6 per 100,000 peopleColorado12.6North Carolina: 12.5 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina12.5Delaware: 12.1 per 100,000 peopleDelaware12.1Florida: 12 per 100,000 peopleFlorida12Maryland: 11.9 per 100,000 peopleMaryland11.9Ohio: 11.9 per 100,000 peopleOhio11.9Michigan: 11.7 per 100,000 peopleMichigan11.7Texas: 11.7 per 100,000 peopleTexas11.7Kansas: 11.4 per 100,000 peopleKansas11.4Oregon: 11.4 per 100,000 peopleOregon11.4Pennsylvania: 11.4 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania11.4South Dakota: 11.1 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota11.1Virginia: 10.9 per 100,000 peopleVirginia10.9Wisconsin: 10.4 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin10.4Maine: 9.8 per 100,000 peopleMaine9.8Washington: 9.8 per 100,000 peopleWashington9.8Vermont: 9.6 per 100,000 peopleVermont9.6Illinois: 9.5 per 100,000 peopleIllinois9.5Nebraska: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleNebraska8.9New Hampshire: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire8.9Iowa: 7.8 per 100,000 peopleIowa7.8California: 7.7 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia7.7Minnesota: 7.4 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota7.4New Jersey: 5.4 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey5.4Connecticut: 5.3 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut5.3Rhode Island: 4.7 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island4.7New York: 4.2 per 100,000 peopleNew York4.2Hawaii: 3.6 per 100,000 peopleHawaii3.6Massachusetts: 3 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts3Alaska: 23.4 per 100,000 peopleAlaska23.4Louisiana: 20.4 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana20.4Alabama: 19.6 per 100,000 peopleAlabama19.6Mississippi: 19.6 per 100,000 peopleMississippi19.6Wyoming: 19.6 per 100,000 peopleWyoming19.6Montana: 19.2 per 100,000 peopleMontana19.2New Mexico: 18.6 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico18.6Missouri: 18.1 per 100,000 peopleMissouri18.1Oklahoma: 18 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma18South Carolina: 17.3 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina17.3Arkansas: 16.9 per 100,000 peopleArkansas16.9Tennessee: 16 per 100,000 peopleTennessee16District of Columbia: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleDistrict of Columbia15.2Kentucky: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleKentucky15.2Nevada: 14.9 per 100,000 peopleNevada14.9Idaho: 14.7 per 100,000 peopleIdaho14.7Georgia: 14.1 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia14.1West Virginia: 14 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia14Arizona: 13.8 per 100,000 peopleArizona13.8North Dakota: 12.8 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota12.8Utah: 12.8 per 100,000 peopleUtah12.8Indiana: 12.7 per 100,000 peopleIndiana12.7Colorado: 12.6 per 100,000 peopleColorado12.6North Carolina: 12.5 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina12.5Delaware: 12.1 per 100,000 peopleDelaware12.1Florida: 12 per 100,000 peopleFlorida12Maryland: 11.9 per 100,000 peopleMaryland11.9Ohio: 11.9 per 100,000 peopleOhio11.9Michigan: 11.7 per 100,000 peopleMichigan11.7Texas: 11.7 per 100,000 peopleTexas11.7Kansas: 11.4 per 100,000 peopleKansas11.4Oregon: 11.4 per 100,000 peopleOregon11.4Pennsylvania: 11.4 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania11.4South Dakota: 11.1 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota11.1Virginia: 10.9 per 100,000 peopleVirginia10.9Wisconsin: 10.4 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin10.4Maine: 9.8 per 100,000 peopleMaine9.8Washington: 9.8 per 100,000 peopleWashington9.8Vermont: 9.6 per 100,000 peopleVermont9.6Illinois: 9.5 per 100,000 peopleIllinois9.5Nebraska: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleNebraska8.9New Hampshire: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire8.9Iowa: 7.8 per 100,000 peopleIowa7.8California: 7.7 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia7.7Minnesota: 7.4 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota7.4New Jersey: 5.4 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey5.4Connecticut: 5.3 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut5.3Rhode Island: 4.7 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island4.7New York: 4.2 per 100,000 peopleNew York4.2Hawaii: 3.6 per 100,000 peopleHawaii3.6Massachusetts: 3 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts3
per 100,000 people. Source: CDC, NCHS Stats of the States: firearm mortality by state, age-adjusted death rate. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2015
per 100,000 people		Change on 2014
1Alaska23.4+4.2 pts
2Louisiana20.4+1.4 pts
3Alabama19.6+2.7 pts
3Mississippi19.6+1.3 pts
3Wyoming19.6+3.4 pts
6Montana19.2+3.1 pts
7New Mexico18.6+2.6 pts
8Missouri18.1+2.8 pts
9Oklahoma18+2.3 pts
10South Carolina17.3+1.8 pts
11Arkansas16.9+0.3 pts
12Tennessee16+0.9 pts
13District of Columbia15.2+3.5 pts
13Kentucky15.2+1.3 pts
15Nevada14.9+0.1 pts
16Idaho14.7+1.5 pts
17Georgia14.1+0.4 pts
18West Virginia14-0.6 pts
19Arizona13.8+0.3 pts
20North Dakota12.8+0.5 pts
20Utah12.8+0.5 pts
22Indiana12.7+0.3 pts
23Colorado12.6+0.4 pts
24North Carolina12.5+0.7 pts
25Delaware12.1+1 pts
26Florida12+0.5 pts
27Maryland11.9+2.9 pts
27Ohio11.9+1.6 pts
29Michigan11.7+0.6 pts
29Texas11.7+1 pts
31Kansas11.4+0.1 pts
31Oregon11.4-0.3 pts
31Pennsylvania11.4+0.9 pts
34South Dakota11.1+0.8 pts
35Virginia10.9+0.6 pts
36Wisconsin10.4+2.2 pts
37Maine9.8+0.4 pts
37Washington9.8+0.1 pts
39Vermont9.6-0.7 pts
40Illinois9.5+0.5 pts
41Nebraska8.9-0.6 pts
41New Hampshire8.9+0.2 pts
43Iowa7.8+0.3 pts
44California7.7+0.3 pts
45Minnesota7.4+0.8 pts
46New Jersey5.4+0.1 pts
47Connecticut5.3+0.3 pts
48Rhode Island4.7+1.7 pts
49New York4.20 pts
50Hawaii3.6+1 pts
51Massachusetts3-0.2 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Deaths from firearm injuries of any intent (suicide, homicide, unintentional, legal intervention or undetermined) per 100,000 residents, age-adjusted to the 2000 US standard population. Deaths are counted by the state of residence. NCHS National Vital Statistics System final death data.

Available for US states and DC. Age adjustment allows states with older or younger populations to be compared; the rate is not the number of deaths divided by the population.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). NCHS Stats of the States: firearm mortality by state, age-adjusted death rate. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/state-stats/deaths/firearms.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12. These data are available free from CDC. Use does not imply endorsement by CDC, ATSDR, HHS or the United States Government.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2026). NCHS Stats of the States: firearm mortality by state, age-adjusted death rate (US states by firearm death rate, 2015) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/state-stats/deaths/firearms.html

MLA 9

NCHS Stats of the States: firearm mortality by state, age-adjusted death rate, US states by firearm death rate, 2015. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 18 May 2026, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/state-stats/deaths/firearms.html. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/firearm-death-rate/us-states?period=2015. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2026. NCHS Stats of the States: firearm mortality by state, age-adjusted death rate. US states by firearm death rate, 2015. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/state-stats/deaths/firearms.html. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/firearm-death-rate/us-states?period=2015.

Harvard

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2026) NCHS Stats of the States: firearm mortality by state, age-adjusted death rate, US states by firearm death rate, 2015 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/state-stats/deaths/firearms.html, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/firearm-death-rate/us-states?period=2015 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{centers_us_states_by_firearm_2015,
  author = {{Centers for Disease Control and Prevention}},
  title = {{NCHS Stats of the States: firearm mortality by state, age-adjusted death rate: US states by firearm death rate, 2015}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/state-stats/deaths/firearms.html},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/firearm-death-rate/us-states?period=2015. Publisher attribution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). NCHS Stats of the States: firearm mortality by state, age-adjusted death rate. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/state-stats/deaths/firearms.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12. These data are available free from CDC. Use does not imply endorsement by CDC, ATSDR, HHS or the United States Government.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
TI  - NCHS Stats of the States: firearm mortality by state, age-adjusted death rate: US states by firearm death rate, 2015
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/05/18
PB  - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/state-stats/deaths/firearms.html
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/firearm-death-rate/us-states?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/firearm-death-rate/us-states?period=2015.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). NCHS Stats of the States: firearm mortality by state, age-adjusted death rate. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/state-stats/deaths/firearms.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12. These data are available free from CDC. Use does not imply endorsement by CDC, ATSDR, HHS or the United States Government.
ER  -
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Questions

Which state has the highest firearm death rate?

Alaska, with 23.4 per 100,000 people in 2015, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Which state has the lowest firearm death rate?

Massachusetts, with 3 per 100,000 people in 2015.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NCHS Stats of the States: firearm mortality by state, age-adjusted death rate. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

US states: more rankings