Data / Rankings / Firearm death rate / US states

US states by firearm death rate

Mississippi had the highest firearm death rate of 51 states in 2020, at 28.6 per 100,000 people. Hawaii had the lowest, at 3.4 per 100,000 people. The median was 14.4 per 100,000 people. Source: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Highest28.6Mississippi
Lowest3.4Hawaii
Median14.451 states

Map of states, 2020

Alabama: 23.6 per 100,000 peopleAlaska: 23.5 per 100,000 peopleArizona: 16.7 per 100,000 peopleArkansas: 22.6 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia: 8.5 per 100,000 peopleColorado: 15.4 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut: 6 per 100,000 peopleDelaware: 14.4 per 100,000 peopleDistrict of Columbia: 21.9 per 100,000 peopleFlorida: 13.7 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia: 17.7 per 100,000 peopleHawaii: 3.4 per 100,000 peopleIdaho: 17.6 per 100,000 peopleIllinois: 14.1 per 100,000 peopleIndiana: 17.3 per 100,000 peopleIowa: 11.2 per 100,000 peopleKansas: 16.9 per 100,000 peopleKentucky: 20.1 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana: 26.3 per 100,000 peopleMaine: 10.4 per 100,000 peopleMaryland: 13.5 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts: 3.7 per 100,000 peopleMichigan: 14.6 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleMississippi: 28.6 per 100,000 peopleMissouri: 23.9 per 100,000 peopleMontana: 20.9 per 100,000 peopleNebraska: 10.1 per 100,000 peopleNevada: 17 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey: 5 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico: 22.7 per 100,000 peopleNew York: 5.3 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina: 16 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota: 13.8 per 100,000 peopleOhio: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma: 20.7 per 100,000 peopleOregon: 13 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania: 13.6 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island: 5.1 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina: 22 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota: 13.6 per 100,000 peopleTennessee: 21.3 per 100,000 peopleTexas: 14.2 per 100,000 peopleUtah: 13.6 per 100,000 peopleVermont: 11.6 per 100,000 peopleVirginia: 13.4 per 100,000 peopleWashington: 10.9 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia: 18.1 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin: 12.2 per 100,000 peopleWyoming: 25.9 per 100,000 people
  • Under 9.3
  • 9.3 to 13
  • 13 to 14
  • 14 to 17
  • 17 to 22
  • 22 and over
per 100,000 people, 2020. 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, 2020

Mississippi: 28.6 per 100,000 peopleMississippi28.6Louisiana: 26.3 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana26.3Wyoming: 25.9 per 100,000 peopleWyoming25.9Missouri: 23.9 per 100,000 peopleMissouri23.9Alabama: 23.6 per 100,000 peopleAlabama23.6Alaska: 23.5 per 100,000 peopleAlaska23.5New Mexico: 22.7 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico22.7Arkansas: 22.6 per 100,000 peopleArkansas22.6South Carolina: 22 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina22District of Columbia: 21.9 per 100,000 peopleDistrict of Columbia21.9Tennessee: 21.3 per 100,000 peopleTennessee21.3Montana: 20.9 per 100,000 peopleMontana20.9Oklahoma: 20.7 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma20.7Kentucky: 20.1 per 100,000 peopleKentucky20.1West Virginia: 18.1 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia18.1Georgia: 17.7 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia17.7Idaho: 17.6 per 100,000 peopleIdaho17.6Indiana: 17.3 per 100,000 peopleIndiana17.3Nevada: 17 per 100,000 peopleNevada17Kansas: 16.9 per 100,000 peopleKansas16.9Arizona: 16.7 per 100,000 peopleArizona16.7North Carolina: 16 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina16Colorado: 15.4 per 100,000 peopleColorado15.4Ohio: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleOhio15.2Michigan: 14.6 per 100,000 peopleMichigan14.6Delaware: 14.4 per 100,000 peopleDelaware14.4Texas: 14.2 per 100,000 peopleTexas14.2Illinois: 14.1 per 100,000 peopleIllinois14.1North Dakota: 13.8 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota13.8Florida: 13.7 per 100,000 peopleFlorida13.7Pennsylvania: 13.6 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania13.6South Dakota: 13.6 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota13.6Utah: 13.6 per 100,000 peopleUtah13.6Maryland: 13.5 per 100,000 peopleMaryland13.5Virginia: 13.4 per 100,000 peopleVirginia13.4Oregon: 13 per 100,000 peopleOregon13Wisconsin: 12.2 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin12.2Vermont: 11.6 per 100,000 peopleVermont11.6Iowa: 11.2 per 100,000 peopleIowa11.2Washington: 10.9 per 100,000 peopleWashington10.9Maine: 10.4 per 100,000 peopleMaine10.4Nebraska: 10.1 per 100,000 peopleNebraska10.1Minnesota: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota8.9New Hampshire: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire8.9California: 8.5 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia8.5Connecticut: 6 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut6New York: 5.3 per 100,000 peopleNew York5.3Rhode Island: 5.1 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island5.1New Jersey: 5 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey5Massachusetts: 3.7 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts3.7Hawaii: 3.4 per 100,000 peopleHawaii3.4Mississippi: 28.6 per 100,000 peopleMississippi28.6Louisiana: 26.3 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana26.3Wyoming: 25.9 per 100,000 peopleWyoming25.9Missouri: 23.9 per 100,000 peopleMissouri23.9Alabama: 23.6 per 100,000 peopleAlabama23.6Alaska: 23.5 per 100,000 peopleAlaska23.5New Mexico: 22.7 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico22.7Arkansas: 22.6 per 100,000 peopleArkansas22.6South Carolina: 22 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina22District of Columbia: 21.9 per 100,000 peopleDistrict of Columbia21.9Tennessee: 21.3 per 100,000 peopleTennessee21.3Montana: 20.9 per 100,000 peopleMontana20.9Oklahoma: 20.7 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma20.7Kentucky: 20.1 per 100,000 peopleKentucky20.1West Virginia: 18.1 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia18.1Georgia: 17.7 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia17.7Idaho: 17.6 per 100,000 peopleIdaho17.6Indiana: 17.3 per 100,000 peopleIndiana17.3Nevada: 17 per 100,000 peopleNevada17Kansas: 16.9 per 100,000 peopleKansas16.9Arizona: 16.7 per 100,000 peopleArizona16.7North Carolina: 16 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina16Colorado: 15.4 per 100,000 peopleColorado15.4Ohio: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleOhio15.2Michigan: 14.6 per 100,000 peopleMichigan14.6Delaware: 14.4 per 100,000 peopleDelaware14.4Texas: 14.2 per 100,000 peopleTexas14.2Illinois: 14.1 per 100,000 peopleIllinois14.1North Dakota: 13.8 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota13.8Florida: 13.7 per 100,000 peopleFlorida13.7Pennsylvania: 13.6 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania13.6South Dakota: 13.6 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota13.6Utah: 13.6 per 100,000 peopleUtah13.6Maryland: 13.5 per 100,000 peopleMaryland13.5Virginia: 13.4 per 100,000 peopleVirginia13.4Oregon: 13 per 100,000 peopleOregon13Wisconsin: 12.2 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin12.2Vermont: 11.6 per 100,000 peopleVermont11.6Iowa: 11.2 per 100,000 peopleIowa11.2Washington: 10.9 per 100,000 peopleWashington10.9Maine: 10.4 per 100,000 peopleMaine10.4Nebraska: 10.1 per 100,000 peopleNebraska10.1Minnesota: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota8.9New Hampshire: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire8.9California: 8.5 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia8.5Connecticut: 6 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut6New York: 5.3 per 100,000 peopleNew York5.3Rhode Island: 5.1 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island5.1New Jersey: 5 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey5Massachusetts: 3.7 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts3.7Hawaii: 3.4 per 100,000 peopleHawaii3.4
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

RankStates2020
per 100,000 people		Change on 2019
1Mississippi28.6+4.4 pts
2Louisiana26.3+4.2 pts
3Wyoming25.9+3.6 pts
4Missouri23.9+3.3 pts
5Alabama23.6+1.4 pts
6Alaska23.5-0.9 pts
7New Mexico22.7+0.4 pts
8Arkansas22.6+3.3 pts
9South Carolina22+2.1 pts
10District of Columbia21.9+3.6 pts
11Tennessee21.3+2.9 pts
12Montana20.9+1.9 pts
13Oklahoma20.7+2.1 pts
14Kentucky20.1+5.2 pts
15West Virginia18.1+1.5 pts
16Georgia17.7+1.9 pts
17Idaho17.6+3.4 pts
18Indiana17.3+3.2 pts
19Nevada17+1.7 pts
20Kansas16.9+3.2 pts
21Arizona16.7+1.6 pts
22North Carolina16+2.9 pts
23Colorado15.4+1.2 pts
24Ohio15.2+1.9 pts
25Michigan14.6+2.5 pts
26Delaware14.4+4.5 pts
27Texas14.2+1.5 pts
28Illinois14.1+3.3 pts
29North Dakota13.8+1.4 pts
30Florida13.7+1 pts
31Pennsylvania13.6+1.9 pts
31South Dakota13.6+0.5 pts
31Utah13.6+0.8 pts
34Maryland13.5+0.9 pts
35Virginia13.4+1.7 pts
36Oregon13+0.4 pts
37Wisconsin12.2+2.2 pts
38Vermont11.6+2.3 pts
39Iowa11.2+2.1 pts
40Washington10.9+0.2 pts
41Maine10.4-1.1 pts
42Nebraska10.1-0.3 pts
43Minnesota8.9+0.8 pts
43New Hampshire8.9-1.8 pts
45California8.5+1.3 pts
46Connecticut6+0.7 pts
47New York5.3+1.4 pts
48Rhode Island5.1+0.5 pts
49New Jersey5+0.9 pts
50Massachusetts3.7+0.3 pts
51Hawaii3.4-1 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, 2020) [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, 2020. 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=2020. 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, 2020. 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=2020.

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, 2020 [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=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{centers_us_states_by_firearm_2020,
  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, 2020}},
  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=2020. 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, 2020
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=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/firearm-death-rate/us-states?period=2020.
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?

Mississippi, with 28.6 per 100,000 people in 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Which state has the lowest firearm death rate?

Hawaii, with 3.4 per 100,000 people in 2020.

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