Data / Rankings / Firearm death rate / US states

US states by firearm death rate

Alaska had the highest firearm death rate of 51 states in 2019, at 24.4 per 100,000 people. Massachusetts had the lowest, at 3.4 per 100,000 people. The median was 12.8 per 100,000 people. Source: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Highest24.4Alaska
Lowest3.4Massachusetts
Median12.851 states

Map of states, 2019

Alabama: 22.2 per 100,000 peopleAlaska: 24.4 per 100,000 peopleArizona: 15.1 per 100,000 peopleArkansas: 19.3 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia: 7.2 per 100,000 peopleColorado: 14.2 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut: 5.3 per 100,000 peopleDelaware: 9.9 per 100,000 peopleDistrict of Columbia: 18.3 per 100,000 peopleFlorida: 12.7 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleHawaii: 4.4 per 100,000 peopleIdaho: 14.2 per 100,000 peopleIllinois: 10.8 per 100,000 peopleIndiana: 14.1 per 100,000 peopleIowa: 9.1 per 100,000 peopleKansas: 13.7 per 100,000 peopleKentucky: 14.9 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana: 22.1 per 100,000 peopleMaine: 11.5 per 100,000 peopleMaryland: 12.6 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts: 3.4 per 100,000 peopleMichigan: 12.1 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota: 8.1 per 100,000 peopleMississippi: 24.2 per 100,000 peopleMissouri: 20.6 per 100,000 peopleMontana: 19 per 100,000 peopleNebraska: 10.4 per 100,000 peopleNevada: 15.3 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire: 10.7 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey: 4.1 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico: 22.3 per 100,000 peopleNew York: 3.9 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina: 13.1 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota: 12.4 per 100,000 peopleOhio: 13.3 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma: 18.6 per 100,000 peopleOregon: 12.6 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania: 11.7 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island: 4.6 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina: 19.9 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota: 13.1 per 100,000 peopleTennessee: 18.4 per 100,000 peopleTexas: 12.7 per 100,000 peopleUtah: 12.8 per 100,000 peopleVermont: 9.3 per 100,000 peopleVirginia: 11.7 per 100,000 peopleWashington: 10.7 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia: 16.6 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin: 10 per 100,000 peopleWyoming: 22.3 per 100,000 people
  • Under 9.2
  • 9.2 to 12
  • 12 to 13
  • 13 to 15
  • 15 to 19
  • 19 and over
per 100,000 people, 2019. 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, 2019

Alaska: 24.4 per 100,000 peopleAlaska24.4Mississippi: 24.2 per 100,000 peopleMississippi24.2New Mexico: 22.3 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico22.3Wyoming: 22.3 per 100,000 peopleWyoming22.3Alabama: 22.2 per 100,000 peopleAlabama22.2Louisiana: 22.1 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana22.1Missouri: 20.6 per 100,000 peopleMissouri20.6South Carolina: 19.9 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina19.9Arkansas: 19.3 per 100,000 peopleArkansas19.3Montana: 19 per 100,000 peopleMontana19Oklahoma: 18.6 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma18.6Tennessee: 18.4 per 100,000 peopleTennessee18.4District of Columbia: 18.3 per 100,000 peopleDistrict of Columbia18.3West Virginia: 16.6 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia16.6Georgia: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia15.8Nevada: 15.3 per 100,000 peopleNevada15.3Arizona: 15.1 per 100,000 peopleArizona15.1Kentucky: 14.9 per 100,000 peopleKentucky14.9Colorado: 14.2 per 100,000 peopleColorado14.2Idaho: 14.2 per 100,000 peopleIdaho14.2Indiana: 14.1 per 100,000 peopleIndiana14.1Kansas: 13.7 per 100,000 peopleKansas13.7Ohio: 13.3 per 100,000 peopleOhio13.3North Carolina: 13.1 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina13.1South Dakota: 13.1 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota13.1Utah: 12.8 per 100,000 peopleUtah12.8Florida: 12.7 per 100,000 peopleFlorida12.7Texas: 12.7 per 100,000 peopleTexas12.7Maryland: 12.6 per 100,000 peopleMaryland12.6Oregon: 12.6 per 100,000 peopleOregon12.6North Dakota: 12.4 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota12.4Michigan: 12.1 per 100,000 peopleMichigan12.1Pennsylvania: 11.7 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania11.7Virginia: 11.7 per 100,000 peopleVirginia11.7Maine: 11.5 per 100,000 peopleMaine11.5Illinois: 10.8 per 100,000 peopleIllinois10.8New Hampshire: 10.7 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire10.7Washington: 10.7 per 100,000 peopleWashington10.7Nebraska: 10.4 per 100,000 peopleNebraska10.4Wisconsin: 10 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin10Delaware: 9.9 per 100,000 peopleDelaware9.9Vermont: 9.3 per 100,000 peopleVermont9.3Iowa: 9.1 per 100,000 peopleIowa9.1Minnesota: 8.1 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota8.1California: 7.2 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia7.2Connecticut: 5.3 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut5.3Rhode Island: 4.6 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island4.6Hawaii: 4.4 per 100,000 peopleHawaii4.4New Jersey: 4.1 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey4.1New York: 3.9 per 100,000 peopleNew York3.9Massachusetts: 3.4 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts3.4Alaska: 24.4 per 100,000 peopleAlaska24.4Mississippi: 24.2 per 100,000 peopleMississippi24.2New Mexico: 22.3 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico22.3Wyoming: 22.3 per 100,000 peopleWyoming22.3Alabama: 22.2 per 100,000 peopleAlabama22.2Louisiana: 22.1 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana22.1Missouri: 20.6 per 100,000 peopleMissouri20.6South Carolina: 19.9 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina19.9Arkansas: 19.3 per 100,000 peopleArkansas19.3Montana: 19 per 100,000 peopleMontana19Oklahoma: 18.6 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma18.6Tennessee: 18.4 per 100,000 peopleTennessee18.4District of Columbia: 18.3 per 100,000 peopleDistrict of Columbia18.3West Virginia: 16.6 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia16.6Georgia: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia15.8Nevada: 15.3 per 100,000 peopleNevada15.3Arizona: 15.1 per 100,000 peopleArizona15.1Kentucky: 14.9 per 100,000 peopleKentucky14.9Colorado: 14.2 per 100,000 peopleColorado14.2Idaho: 14.2 per 100,000 peopleIdaho14.2Indiana: 14.1 per 100,000 peopleIndiana14.1Kansas: 13.7 per 100,000 peopleKansas13.7Ohio: 13.3 per 100,000 peopleOhio13.3North Carolina: 13.1 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina13.1South Dakota: 13.1 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota13.1Utah: 12.8 per 100,000 peopleUtah12.8Florida: 12.7 per 100,000 peopleFlorida12.7Texas: 12.7 per 100,000 peopleTexas12.7Maryland: 12.6 per 100,000 peopleMaryland12.6Oregon: 12.6 per 100,000 peopleOregon12.6North Dakota: 12.4 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota12.4Michigan: 12.1 per 100,000 peopleMichigan12.1Pennsylvania: 11.7 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania11.7Virginia: 11.7 per 100,000 peopleVirginia11.7Maine: 11.5 per 100,000 peopleMaine11.5Illinois: 10.8 per 100,000 peopleIllinois10.8New Hampshire: 10.7 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire10.7Washington: 10.7 per 100,000 peopleWashington10.7Nebraska: 10.4 per 100,000 peopleNebraska10.4Wisconsin: 10 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin10Delaware: 9.9 per 100,000 peopleDelaware9.9Vermont: 9.3 per 100,000 peopleVermont9.3Iowa: 9.1 per 100,000 peopleIowa9.1Minnesota: 8.1 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota8.1California: 7.2 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia7.2Connecticut: 5.3 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut5.3Rhode Island: 4.6 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island4.6Hawaii: 4.4 per 100,000 peopleHawaii4.4New Jersey: 4.1 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey4.1New York: 3.9 per 100,000 peopleNew York3.9Massachusetts: 3.4 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts3.4
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

RankStates2019
per 100,000 people		Change on 2018
1Alaska24.4+3.4 pts
2Mississippi24.2+1.3 pts
3New Mexico22.3+1.6 pts
3Wyoming22.3+0.8 pts
5Alabama22.2+0.4 pts
6Louisiana22.1+0.7 pts
7Missouri20.6-0.9 pts
8South Carolina19.9+2.3 pts
9Arkansas19.3+0.4 pts
10Montana19+1.7 pts
11Oklahoma18.6+1.8 pts
12Tennessee18.4+0.6 pts
13District of Columbia18.3+1.6 pts
14West Virginia16.6-1.6 pts
15Georgia15.8+0.1 pts
16Nevada15.3-2.6 pts
17Arizona15.1-0.2 pts
18Kentucky14.9-2 pts
19Colorado14.2-1 pts
19Idaho14.2-2.4 pts
21Indiana14.1-0.6 pts
22Kansas13.7-1.1 pts
23Ohio13.3+0.2 pts
24North Carolina13.1-0.2 pts
24South Dakota13.1-0.5 pts
26Utah12.8-0.4 pts
27Florida12.7-0.2 pts
27Texas12.7+0.5 pts
29Maryland12.6+0.9 pts
29Oregon12.6+0.9 pts
31North Dakota12.4+0.9 pts
32Michigan12.1-0.8 pts
33Pennsylvania11.7-0.8 pts
33Virginia11.7-0.1 pts
35Maine11.5+1.2 pts
36Illinois10.8-0.1 pts
37New Hampshire10.7-0.1 pts
37Washington10.7+0.3 pts
39Nebraska10.4+1.4 pts
40Wisconsin10-0.1 pts
41Delaware9.9-1.7 pts
42Vermont9.3-3.5 pts
43Iowa9.1+0.4 pts
44Minnesota8.1+0.3 pts
45California7.2-0.3 pts
46Connecticut5.3+0.4 pts
47Rhode Island4.6+1.3 pts
48Hawaii4.4+0.4 pts
49New Jersey4.1-0.7 pts
50New York3.9-0.2 pts
51Massachusetts3.4-0.1 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, 2019) [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, 2019. 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=2019. 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, 2019. 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=2019.

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, 2019 [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=2019 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{centers_us_states_by_firearm_2019,
  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, 2019}},
  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=2019. 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, 2019
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=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/firearm-death-rate/us-states?period=2019.
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 24.4 per 100,000 people in 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Which state has the lowest firearm death rate?

Massachusetts, with 3.4 per 100,000 people in 2019.

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