Gun ownership rates
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Roughly 40% of Americans exercise their Second Amendment right to possess firearms, but the distribution of guns in the United States varies significantly from state to state. In order to assess which states have the highest and lowest number of registered firearms, Wisevoter conducted an analysis of data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
1,000 residents
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This data is based on the rate of registered guns per 1,000 residents and also incorporates statistics from the RAND Corporation to determine levels of gun ownership. The objective of this article by Mindfully American is to offer data-driven insights into the prevalence of registered firearms across different states.
Unregistered
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It is important to note that these rankings do not consider unregistered firearms, and only a few states mandate registration of firearms by residents. As a result, the article also includes information on firearm ownership rates that are not registration-based.
Wyoming
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1: Wyoming, 2: West Virginia: Wyoming boasts the highest rate of registered firearms in the country, with 245.8 registered guns per 1,000 residents. Additionally, the Equality State holds the second position nationwide for the highest rate of firearm ownership, standing at 60.7%. West Virginia has a registered firearm rate that is less than half of Wyoming’s, with 92.8 registered guns per 1,000 residents. The Mountain State is among the ten states that have chosen an official state firearm. In April 2013, West Virginia designated the Hall Model 1819 flintlock rifle as its state firearm.
South Dakota
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3: South Dakota, 4: New Mexico: South Dakota, known as the Mount Rushmore State, has a registered firearm rate of 72.2 guns per 1,000 residents. Additionally, it holds a gun ownership rate of 55.6%, placing it sixth in the country in terms of firearm ownership.
New Hampshire
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5: New Hampshire, 4: New Mexico: The registered firearm rate in New Mexico, at 58.1 guns per 1,000 residents, is approximately one-fourth of Wyoming’s rate. Furthermore, it possesses a notably lower gun ownership rate of 35.9%, placing it 36th in the United States in terms of firearm ownership rates. In the state of New Hampshire, there are 52.1 registered firearms for every 1,000 residents. In terms of gun ownership, New Hampshire is ranked 19th in the country, with a gun ownership rate of 46.3%.
Virginia
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6: Virginia, 7: Arkansas: Virginia has a consistent rate of 49 registered firearms per 1,000 individuals. Despite its relatively high position on the list, Virginia has a notably lower firearm ownership rate of 35.3%, placing it 38th in the country for gun ownership rates. Arkansas has an average of 44.3 registered firearms for every 1,000 residents. The state boasts a gun ownership rate of 51.8%, placing it at the 14th spot in the country in terms of firearm ownership.
Idaho
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8: Idaho, 9: North Dakota: While Idaho’s registered firearm rate of 40.2 per 1,000 residents may seem modest compared to other states mentioned, focusing solely on this metric doesn’t provide a complete perspective. The state’s gun ownership rate of 57.8% surpasses the national average of 39.8%, indicating a strong prevalence of firearm ownership in Idaho. North Dakota has a registered firearm rate close to that of Idaho, with 40.0 registered guns per 1,000 residents. The state boasts a firearm ownership rate of 53.3%, securing the ninth spot in the country, in contrast to Idaho, which holds the fourth position in terms of gun ownership.
Alabama
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10: Alabama, 11: Alaska: Alabama falls into the 30s with a rate of 38.7 registered firearms per 1,000 individuals. The Yellowhammer State maintains a firearm ownership rate of 52.8%, positioning it in the lower end of the top ten states with the highest levels of firearm ownership. Alaska is the second state on this list to designate a state firearm. In 2014, the Pre-1964 Winchester Model 70 was chosen as Alaska’s state firearm, contributing to the state’s total of 38.5 registered guns per 1,000 residents. Alaska’s firearm ownership rate places it fifth in the nation, at 57.2%.
Nevada
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12: Nevada, 13: Arizona: In the state of Nevada, there are 37.9 registered firearms for every 1,000 residents. Additionally, Nevada has a gun ownership rate of 32.9%, placing it at the 39th position in the country for this metric. In 2011, Arizona designated the Colt Single Action Army revolver as its state firearm, becoming the second state to do so after Utah. Arizona has a rate of 35.6 registered firearms per 1,000 residents and a gun ownership rate of 36.4%.
Texas
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14: Texas, 15: Montana: Texas has slightly more than 34 registered firearms for every 1,000 residents. The Colt Walker holds the title of Texas’ state firearm, a designation awarded in 2021. The state’s gun ownership rate stands at 35.5%, placing it 37th in the country in terms of firearm ownership. Initially surprising, Montana’s position in a firearm ranking article may seem unexpected. Despite boasting the highest gun ownership rate in the nation at 65.7%, the state falls to 15th place with only 33.2 registered firearms per 1,000 residents.
Louisiana
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16: Louisiana, 17: Georgia: Louisiana has a registered firearm rate of 32.9 per 1,000 residents. In terms of gun ownership rate, the state is positioned 13th in the country, with a rate of 52.3%. In Georgia, there are approximately 28.2 registered firearms for every 1,000 residents. The state has a gun ownership rate of 37.7%, placing it 33rd in the country in terms of firearm ownership.
Mississippi
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18: Mississippi, 19: Pennsylvania: Mississippi has a registered firearm rate of 27.4 per 1,000 residents, slightly lower than that of Georgia. However, Mississippi’s firearm ownership rate is notably higher at 54.1%, placing it eighth in the nation for this metric. In Pennsylvania, the state rifle is the Pennsylvania long rifle, which is a fitting choice. The state has nearly 27 registered firearms for every 1,000 residents. With a gun ownership rate of 40.2%, Pennsylvania is positioned right in the middle for this category, holding the 25th spot in the nation.
Oklahoma
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20: Oklahoma, 21: Colorado: Oklahoma has close to 26 registered firearms per 1,000 residents. The state boasts the seventh-highest gun ownership rate in the United States, standing at 54.9%. In Colorado, there are 25.7 registered firearms for every 1,000 residents. The state has a gun ownership rate of 37.9%, ranking it 32nd in the nation for this category.
Kentucky
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22: Kentucky, 23: Florida: Since 2013, the Kentucky long rifle has held the title of Kentucky’s state firearm, often utilized for hunting purposes. With 24.1 registered firearms per 1,000 residents, the Bluegrass State has a firearm ownership rate of 52.5%. In Florida, there are 23.8 registered firearms for every 1,000 residents. The state also holds a gun ownership rate of 28.8%, placing it 41st in the nation in this aspect.
Kansas
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24: Kansas, 25: Indiana: Kansas is positioned at 22nd place in terms of firearm ownership rate, standing at 42.3%, which closely aligns with its ranking for registered gun rate. The state has approximately 23.8 registered firearms for every 1,000 residents. In 2012, the Grouseland Rifle was designated as Indiana’s state firearm. The state has a registered firearm rate of 23.1 per 1,000 residents. Indiana’s firearm ownership rate stands at 42.4%, placing it 21st in the nation for this metric.
Oregon
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26: Oregon, 27: South Carolina: Oregon has a registered firearm rate of 23 for every 1,000 residents. In terms of gun ownership rate, the state is placed 24th in the country, with a rate of 41.4%. South Carolina has a registered firearm rate of 23 per 1,000 residents, which is the same as Oregon’s. Additionally, the state boasts a comparable gun ownership rate of 45.5%.
Minnesota
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28: Minnesota, 29: Maryland: In Minnesota, there are approximately 22.7 registered firearms for every 1,000 residents. The state’s gun ownership rate is 39.1%, placing it at the 28th spot in the nation for this statistic. In Maryland, there are 22.1 registered firearms per 1,000 residents. The state holds the lowest gun ownership rate on the list, standing at 16.7%. This places Maryland at the 44th position in the country for firearm ownership.
Nebraska
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30: Nebraska, 31: Tennessee, 32: North Carolina: Nebraska has 22 registered firearms for every 1,000 residents. Additionally, the state is positioned 27th in the country for firearm ownership, with a rate of 39.2%. The Barrett M82 has gained significant popularity in Tennessee since 2016 when it was designated as the state firearm. Tennessee boasts 21.7 registered firearms for every 1,000 residents. With a gun ownership rate of 46.9%, the state is ranked 18th in the nation for firearm ownership. In North Carolina, there are 21.1 registered firearms for every 1,000 residents. The state is positioned 34th in the country for firearm ownership, with a rate of 37.1%.
Connecticut
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33: Connecticut, 34: Missouri, 35: Ohio: In Connecticut, there are 20.8 registered firearms for every 1,000 residents. The state also holds a gun ownership rate of 18.8%, placing it at the 43rd spot in the nation for this statistic. Missouri recently designated the Hawken rifle as its state rifle in July 2023. The state has a registered firearm rate of 18.4 firearms per 1,000 residents. With a firearm ownership rate of 52.8%, Missouri is ranked 11th in the U.S. for this category. Ohio has a registered firearm rate of 17.7 for every 1,000 residents. In terms of gun ownership, the state is positioned 23rd in the nation, with an ownership rate of 41.9%.
Iowa
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36: Iowa, 37: Wisconsin, 38: Maine: Iowa and Ohio have a slight difference in their registered firearm rates, with both states having around 17 firearms per 1,000 residents. However, Iowa stands out with a lower gun ownership rate of 38.5%, placing it 31st in the country for firearm ownership. Wisconsin has an average of 16.3 registered firearms for every 1,000 residents. The state’s gun ownership rate stands at 47.1%, positioning it 17th in the nation in terms of firearm ownership. In Maine, there are 15.6 registered firearms for every 1,000 residents. The state boasts a higher gun ownership rate of 47.7%, placing it at the 16th spot nationally for firearm ownership rates.
Vermont
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39: Vermont, 40: Illinois, 41: Michigan: In Vermont, there are 14.6 registered firearms for every 1,000 residents. Despite this, the state has a high gun ownership rate of 50.3%, placing it in the 13th position nationally for this category. Illinois stands out as the first state to fall below the teens in its registered firearm rate. The Prairie State has 11.4 registered guns per 1,000 residents and a firearm ownership rate of 22.6%, ranking it 42nd in the nation for this statistic. Michigan is among the bottom ten states on this list, with 10.9 registered firearms per 1,000 residents. The state has a relatively higher gun ownership rate of 38.9%, placing it in the 29th position for firearm ownership in the nation.
California
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42: California, 43: Massachusetts, 44: Hawaii: California has 0.5 fewer registered guns per 1,000 residents compared to Michigan, with a rate of 10.4. However, California has a significantly lower gun ownership rate, with only 16.3% of residents owning firearms, placing the state in 45th position for firearm ownership. Massachusetts significantly differs from California in terms of firearm statistics. The state has only 6.5 registered firearms per 1,000 residents and a low gun ownership rate of 9.9%, placing it 48th in the nation for firearm ownership. In Hawaii, there are 6.4 registered firearms for every 1,000 residents. The state also has a gun ownership rate of 9.1%, placing it in the 49th position nationally for this category.
Delaware
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45: Delaware, 46: New York, 47: Rhode Island: Delaware has a registered firearm rate of 6.1 per 1,000 residents. In terms of gun ownership, the state ranks 30th in the nation with a gun ownership rate of 38.7%. In New York, there are 4.6 registered firearms for every 1,000 residents. The state’s gun ownership rate of 14.5% places it 46th in the nation for this statistic. Rhode Island has an average of 4.5 registered firearms per 1,000 residents. The state’s gun ownership rate of 13.9% positions it as 47th in the nation for this category.
Utah
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48: Utah, 49: Washington, 50: New Jersey: Utah was the first state to designate a state firearm. Utah adopted the M1911 pistol as its state firearm in March 2011. The Beehive State has an average of 3.4 registered firearms per 1,000 residents and a gun ownership rate of 39.7%, placing it 26th in the U.S. for gun ownership. In Washington, there are 1.2 registered firearms for every 1,000 residents. The state’s gun ownership rate of 32.1% positions it as 40th in the nation for this statistic. New Jersey has the smallest number of registered firearms per capita in the country. With just 1.1 registered guns per 1,000 residents, the Garden State holds this distinction. Additionally, New Jersey boasts the lowest gun ownership rate in the U.S. at 8.9%.
