Guns and Hunting

Nobody Is Surprised This State Is #1 in Gun Background Check Volume

By Christian Drerup Published Oct 10, 1:10PM EDT

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Nobody Is Surprised This State Is #1 in Gun Background Check Volume — © 2021 Getty Images / Getty Images News via Getty Images

America is a gun-loving country, with the majority of its citizens feeling blessed for their Third Amendment right to bear arms. More civilians own guns in America than anywhere else on the planet. U.S. citizens primarily own guns for personal protection, saying these weapons make them feel safer in their homes and give them a way to defend their family against potential intruders. Though America has always had a fondness for guns, gun ownership has risen substantially over the last 30 years. Currently, roughly 40% of Americans live in a gun-owning household.

In order to legally buy a gun, a background check must be performed on the potential buyer. The number of background checks in any state is closely related to the number of people buying these weapons. (Though not every person who undergoes a background check will go on to purchase a gun, this data remains the best information on gun sales). In just one month of 2024, the FBI conducted at least 2.2 million firearm background checks.

To determine the states where the most people purchased guns, and what their propensity for gun-buying is more broadly, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a month of recent data from the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System. States were ranked based on the number of firearm background checks initiated through the NICS per capita, based on the number of people per 1,000 residents. Background rechecks for existing gun permits were excluded. Population data is from the Census Bureau’s Population and Housing Unit Estimates program, while data on the number of age-adjusted deaths due to firearms per 100,000 residents in 2022 is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s WONDER database.

Why This Matters

Currently, the United States does not have a national gun registry that tracks the sale of every gun. Because of this, firearm background checks offer the best estimates to understand gun sales and purchasing trends. Still, they have limitations. The issue of gun rights and gun control has always been a hot topic for Americans, with debates flaring up with each mass shooting. Keeping apprised of trends in gun sales can help provide some context. The Gun Show Loophole was closed earlier this year, which may also influence buying trends, state propensity towards gun sales, or gun ownership in general.

50. Hawaii

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 1.0 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 1,432 (the lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 4.5 deaths per 100,000 residents (3rd lowest)
Total population, 2023: 1,435,138 (11th lowest)

49. New York

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 1.4 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 28,036 (22nd highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 5.3 deaths per 100,000 residents (5th lowest)
Total population, 2023: 19,571,216 (4th highest)

48. New Jersey

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 1.5 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 14,283 (17th lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 5.0 deaths per 100,000 residents (4th lowest)
Total population, 2023: 9,290,841 (11th highest)

47. Rhode Island

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 1.9 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 2,125 (2nd lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 3.1 deaths per 100,000 residents (the lowest)
Total population, 2023: 1,095,962 (7th lowest)

46. Nebraska

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 2.6 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 5,221 (5th lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 12.2 deaths per 100,000 residents (14th lowest)
Total population, 2023: 1,978,379 (14th lowest)

45. California

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 2.8 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 107,239 (2nd highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 8.6 deaths per 100,000 residents (7th lowest)
Total population, 2023: 38,965,193 (the highest)

44. Massachusetts

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 3.0 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 20,993 (24th lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 3.7 deaths per 100,000 residents (2nd lowest)
Total population, 2023: 7,001,399 (16th highest)

43. Iowa

Iowa+guns | IMG_4397

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 3.0 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 9,723 (11th lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 11.2 deaths per 100,000 residents (10th lowest)
Total population, 2023: 3,207,004 (20th lowest)

42. Nevada

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 3.6 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 11,485 (12th lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 18.9 deaths per 100,000 residents (15th highest)
Total population, 2023: 3,194,176 (19th lowest)

41. Georgia

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 3.8 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 41,757 (15th highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 19.7 deaths per 100,000 residents (14th highest)
Total population, 2023: 11,029,227 (8th highest)

40. Maryland

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 3.8 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 23,508 (25th highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 13.6 deaths per 100,000 residents (16th lowest)
Total population, 2023: 6,180,253 (19th highest)

39. Illinois

State Of Illinois Passes Illinois Assault Weapons Ban

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 4.0 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 49,748 (7th highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 14.4 deaths per 100,000 residents (20th lowest)
Total population, 2023: 12,549,689 (6th highest)

38. Ohio

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 4.2 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 49,715 (8th highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 15.6 deaths per 100,000 residents (25th highest)
Total population, 2023: 11,785,935 (7th highest)

37. Louisiana

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 4.2 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 19,304 (21st lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 28.2 deaths per 100,000 residents (2nd highest)
Total population, 2023: 4,573,749 (25th highest)

36. Texas

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 4.4 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 133,950 (the highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 15.3 deaths per 100,000 residents (25th lowest)
Total population, 2023: 30,503,301 (2nd highest)

35. Kentucky

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 4.5 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 20,295 (22nd lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 18.8 deaths per 100,000 residents (16th highest)
Total population, 2023: 4,526,154 (25th lowest)

34. Washington

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 4.5 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 35,309 (19th highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 12.4 deaths per 100,000 residents (15th lowest)
Total population, 2023: 7,812,880 (13th highest)

33. Kansas

Arkansas+guns | Gun Play, Arkansas

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 4.6 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 13,412 (15th lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 16.8 deaths per 100,000 residents (21st highest)
Total population, 2023: 2,940,546 (17th lowest)

32. Florida

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 4.6 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 105,104 (3rd highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 14.0 deaths per 100,000 residents (18th lowest)
Total population, 2023: 22,610,726 (3rd highest)

31. Delaware

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 4.7 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 4,810 (4th lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 11.9 deaths per 100,000 residents (12th lowest)
Total population, 2023: 1,031,890 (6th lowest)

30. Virginia

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 4.7 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 40,926 (16th highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 14.9 deaths per 100,000 residents (23rd lowest)
Total population, 2023: 8,715,698 (12th highest)

29. Indiana

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 5.0 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 34,225 (20th highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 17.4 deaths per 100,000 residents (17th highest)
Total population, 2023: 6,862,199 (17th highest)

28. Arizona

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 5.0 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 37,256 (18th highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 20.1 deaths per 100,000 residents (12th highest)
Total population, 2023: 7,431,344 (14th highest)

27. Vermont

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 5.1 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 3,272 (3rd lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 12.0 deaths per 100,000 residents (13th lowest)
Total population, 2023: 647,464 (2nd lowest)

26. North Carolina

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 5.2 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 55,943 (6th highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 16.8 deaths per 100,000 residents (20th highest)
Total population, 2023: 10,835,491 (9th highest)

25. South Carolina

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 5.3 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 28,308 (21st highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 20.8 deaths per 100,000 residents (9th highest)
Total population, 2023: 5,373,555 (23rd highest)

24. Arkansas

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 5.4 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 16,536 (19th lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 21.9 deaths per 100,000 residents (8th highest)
Total population, 2023: 3,067,732 (18th lowest)

23. Connecticut

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 5.7 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 20,793 (23rd lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 6.9 deaths per 100,000 residents (6th lowest)
Total population, 2023: 3,617,176 (22nd lowest)

22. Mississippi

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 5.8 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 17,039 (20th lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 29.6 deaths per 100,000 residents (the highest)
Total population, 2023: 2,939,690 (16th lowest)

21. Missouri

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 6.0 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 37,453 (17th highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 24.2 deaths per 100,000 residents (5th highest)
Total population, 2023: 6,196,156 (18th highest)

20. Maine

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 6.2 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 8,601 (10th lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 11.7 deaths per 100,000 residents (11th lowest)
Total population, 2023: 1,395,722 (9th lowest)

19. Michigan

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 6.4 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 63,804 (5th highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 15.0 deaths per 100,000 residents (24th lowest)
Total population, 2023: 10,037,261 (10th highest)

18. Tennessee

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 6.4 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 45,635 (10th highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 20.5 deaths per 100,000 residents (10th highest)
Total population, 2023: 7,126,489 (15th highest)

17. South Dakota

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 6.4 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 5,929 (7th lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 15.7 deaths per 100,000 residents (24th highest)
Total population, 2023: 919,318 (5th lowest)

16. New Mexico

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 6.5 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 13,738 (16th lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 27.3 deaths per 100,000 residents (3rd highest)
Total population, 2023: 2,114,371 (15th lowest)

15. Oklahoma

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 6.6 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 26,749 (23rd highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 19.8 deaths per 100,000 residents (13th highest)
Total population, 2023: 4,053,824 (23rd lowest)

14. Utah

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 7.1 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 24,375 (24th highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 13.7 deaths per 100,000 residents (17th lowest)
Total population, 2023: 3,417,734 (21st lowest)

13. North Dakota

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 7.1 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 5,602 (6th lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 16.4 deaths per 100,000 residents (22nd highest)
Total population, 2023: 783,926 (4th lowest)

12. Pennsylvania

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 7.2 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 92,909 (4th highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 14.7 deaths per 100,000 residents (22nd lowest)
Total population, 2023: 12,961,683 (5th highest)

11. Minnesota

Bill's Gun Shop and Range by Eugene Kim

Bill's Gun Shop and Range (CC BY 2.0) by Eugene Kim

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 7.6 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 43,569 (13th highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 9.6 deaths per 100,000 residents (8th lowest)
Total population, 2023: 5,737,915 (22nd highest)

10. Wisconsin

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 7.6 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 45,173 (11th highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 14.0 deaths per 100,000 residents (19th lowest)
Total population, 2023: 5,910,955 (20th highest)

9. West Virginia

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 8.2 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 14,443 (18th lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 16.2 deaths per 100,000 residents (23rd highest)
Total population, 2023: 1,770,071 (12th lowest)

8. Alaska

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 8.4 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 6,164 (8th lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 22.4 deaths per 100,000 residents (7th highest)
Total population, 2023: 733,406 (3rd lowest)

7. Colorado

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 8.4 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 49,483 (9th highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 17.1 deaths per 100,000 residents (18th highest)
Total population, 2023: 5,877,610 (21st highest)

6. Alabama

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 8.6 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 44,070 (12th highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 25.5 deaths per 100,000 residents (4th highest)
Total population, 2023: 5,108,468 (24th highest)

5. New Hampshire

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 8.8 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 12,393 (14th lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 10.1 deaths per 100,000 residents (9th lowest)
Total population, 2023: 1,402,054 (10th lowest)

4. Oregon

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 10.0 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 42,198 (14th highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 14.4 deaths per 100,000 residents (21st lowest)
Total population, 2023: 4,233,358 (24th lowest)

3. Montana

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 10.6 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 12,055 (13th lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 23.9 deaths per 100,000 residents (6th highest)
Total population, 2023: 1,132,812 (8th lowest)

2. Wyoming

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 10.7 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 6,229 (9th lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 20.4 deaths per 100,000 residents (11th highest)
Total population, 2023: 584,057 (the lowest)

1. Idaho

Firearm background checks per capita, April 2024: 11.9 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, April 2024: 23,370 (25th lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 17.0 deaths per 100,000 residents (19th highest)
Total population, 2023: 1,964,726 (13th lowest)

About the Author Christian Drerup →

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