There are about 400 million guns in circulation in the U.S., according to the Small Arms Survey, a Swiss-based research project. This means that for every person in America, there are about 120 guns — an astonishingly high figure. The comparable number in Finland, for example, is 32 guns per 100 people, and in Germany it is 20 guns per 100 people.
According to many experts, firearms have led to gun violence in America. The level of gun deaths has been increasing in the past years. So far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, 30,501 people have been killed by guns in the U.S. There have been 468 mass shootings in 2022. The violence is daily. (These are states where the most murders are committed with a gun.)
Gun sales have risen sharply over the last decade and hit an all-time high early in the COVID-19 pandemic. There were 10 million background checks in the U.S. in 2006. They rose to almost 15 million in 2010, and to just above 25 million in 2018. They exploded early in 2020, and reached a record annual level of 39,695,315 that year. Concern about how the pandemic might affect violent crime in the U.S. was likely a cause, at least in part, for this increase. This might have been exacerbated by the period of civil unrest across much of the country in that summer.
To determine the states where gun sales collapsed, 24/7 Wall St. listed all 47 states that reported decline in firearm background checks in the first eight months of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021, using data from the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System. States are ranked in order of the percentage decline in background checks. Population figures came from the Census Bureau’s 2020 American Community Survey and are five-year averages.
While gun background checks are not a one-to-one comparison of gun sales, they serve as a proxy, especially in identifying trends. Sales fell from 2020 levels in 2021, but only by a modest amount, to 38,876,673. The decline began in the second half of that year. In 2022, the drop in gun sales was much more dramatic. So far, through the first eight months of 2022, gun background checks by the FBI have hit 20,790,489. That is down sharply from 27,841,119 in the same period last year and breaks several years of upward trends. There is no ready explanation for the slowing of gun sales.
Gun sales have not only dropped nationwide, but also in most states. It is important to note that gun sales do not have a direct relationship with the population. More gun background checks are done in Kentucky than in California per reporting period. (Adjusted for population, here are states with the most gun purchases per person.)
Gun sales dropped in 47 states over the first eight months of 2022. The sharpest drop was in Illinois, where they have fallen over 61%. Gun sales have been up in only three states during the period — Washington (3%), Hawaii (10.8%), and Kentucky (13.6%)
Click here to see American gun sales collapse in 47 states.
47. New York
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -1.3% (-4,021)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 309,056 (22nd most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 313,077 (23rd most)
> Population: 19,514,849 (4th largest)
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46. California
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -5.6% (-56,243)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 951,008 (5th most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 1,007,251 (6th most)
> Population: 39,346,023 (the largest)
45. Minnesota
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -7.2% (-46,367)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 598,080 (9th most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 644,447 (12th most)
> Population: 5,600,166 (22nd largest)
44. Maryland
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -9.5% (-17,967)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 171,099 (23rd fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 189,066 (20th fewest)
> Population: 6,037,624 (19th largest)
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43. Arizona
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -9.7% (-38,482)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 359,807 (19th most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 398,289 (21st most)
> Population: 7,174,064 (14th largest)
42. North Dakota
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -12.4% (-6,667)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 47,263 (6th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 53,930 (5th fewest)
> Population: 760,394 (4th smallest)
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41. Delaware
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -12.5% (-5,988)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 41,895 (4th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 47,883 (4th fewest)
> Population: 967,679 (6th smallest)
40. Alaska
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -13.4% (-8,342)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 53,791 (8th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 62,133 (7th fewest)
> Population: 736,990 (3rd smallest)
39. Montana
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -13.5% (-14,434)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 92,277 (12th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 106,711 (12th fewest)
> Population: 1,061,705 (8th smallest)
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38. Maine
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -13.9% (-11,590)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 71,608 (10th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 83,198 (10th fewest)
> Population: 1,340,825 (9th smallest)
37. Oklahoma
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -14.2% (-39,333)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 237,786 (25th most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 277,119 (25th most)
> Population: 3,949,342 (23rd smallest)
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36. New Mexico
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -14.7% (-19,689)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 114,354 (15th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 134,043 (14th fewest)
> Population: 2,097,021 (15th smallest)
35. Oregon
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -15.3% (-47,135)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 261,908 (24th most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 309,043 (24th most)
> Population: 4,176,346 (24th smallest)
34. Texas
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -15.8% (-211,633)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 1,130,588 (3rd most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 1,342,221 (4th most)
> Population: 28,635,442 (2nd largest)
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33. Mississippi
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -15.8% (-33,487)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 178,383 (24th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 211,870 (24th fewest)
> Population: 2,981,835 (17th smallest)
32. Pennsylvania
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -16.2% (-156,459)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 810,491 (6th most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 966,950 (7th most)
> Population: 12,794,885 (5th largest)
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31. Florida
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -16.3% (-192,362)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 988,563 (4th most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 1,180,925 (5th most)
> Population: 21,216,924 (3rd largest)
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30. Idaho
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -16.3% (-30,487)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 156,533 (21st fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 187,020 (19th fewest)
> Population: 1,754,367 (12th smallest)
29. Tennessee
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -16.7% (-110,173)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 548,996 (10th most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 659,169 (10th most)
> Population: 6,772,268 (16th largest)
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28. Louisiana
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -17.0% (-45,364)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 221,651 (25th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 267,015 (25th fewest)
> Population: 4,664,616 (25th largest)
27. Massachusetts
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -17.2% (-31,617)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 152,606 (19th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 184,223 (18th fewest)
> Population: 6,873,003 (15th largest)
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26. New Hampshire
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -17.3% (-18,241)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 87,272 (11th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 105,513 (11th fewest)
> Population: 1,355,244 (10th smallest)
25. Vermont
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -17.3% (-6,059)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 28,931 (3rd fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 34,990 (3rd fewest)
> Population: 624,340 (2nd smallest)
24. Virginia
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -17.5% (-77,702)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 365,727 (18th most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 443,429 (18th most)
> Population: 8,509,358 (12th largest)
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23. Connecticut
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -18.0% (-35,751)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 162,653 (22nd fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 198,404 (23rd fewest)
> Population: 3,570,549 (22nd smallest)
22. Utah
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -18.2% (-151,386)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 678,238 (8th most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 829,624 (8th most)
> Population: 3,151,239 (21st smallest)
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21. Colorado
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -18.4% (-79,669)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 352,754 (20th most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 432,423 (19th most)
> Population: 5,684,926 (21st largest)
20. South Carolina
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -18.8% (-63,053)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 272,536 (23rd most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 335,589 (22nd most)
> Population: 5,091,517 (23rd largest)
19. Iowa
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -19.0% (-36,544)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 155,708 (20th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 192,252 (21st fewest)
> Population: 3,150,011 (20th smallest)
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18. West Virginia
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -19.1% (-28,378)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 120,525 (16th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 148,903 (15th fewest)
> Population: 1,807,426 (13th smallest)
17. Wyoming
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -19.3% (-10,968)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 45,810 (5th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 56,778 (6th fewest)
> Population: 581,348 (the smallest)
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16. Kansas
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -19.3% (-29,690)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 123,997 (17th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 153,687 (16th fewest)
> Population: 2,912,619 (16th smallest)
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15. Missouri
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -20.8% (-89,344)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 340,754 (21st most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 430,098 (20th most)
> Population: 6,124,160 (18th largest)
14. Wisconsin
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -20.8% (-108,071)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 411,574 (15th most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 519,645 (16th most)
> Population: 5,806,975 (20th largest)
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13. Nebraska
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -21.2% (-13,241)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 49,088 (7th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 62,329 (8th fewest)
> Population: 1,923,826 (14th smallest)
12. Nevada
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -21.3% (-28,483)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 105,061 (13th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 133,544 (13th fewest)
> Population: 3,030,281 (19th smallest)
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11. South Dakota
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -22.5% (-15,991)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 55,166 (9th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 71,157 (9th fewest)
> Population: 879,336 (5th smallest)
10. Michigan
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -22.6% (-153,348)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 524,177 (11th most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 677,525 (9th most)
> Population: 9,973,907 (10th largest)
9. Arkansas
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -23.5% (-45,444)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 148,217 (18th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 193,661 (22nd fewest)
> Population: 3,011,873 (18th smallest)
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8. Alabama
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -24.8% (-160,571)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 486,952 (13th most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 647,523 (11th most)
> Population: 4,893,186 (24th largest)
7. North Carolina
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -25.4% (-139,859)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 410,573 (16th most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 550,432 (15th most)
> Population: 10,386,227 (9th largest)
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6. Ohio
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -26.2% (-154,067)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 434,073 (14th most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 588,140 (13th most)
> Population: 11,675,275 (7th largest)
5. Rhode Island
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -30.3% (-8,347)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 19,240 (2nd fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 27,587 (2nd fewest)
> Population: 1,057,798 (7th smallest)
4. Georgia
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -32.4% (-186,284)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 388,047 (17th most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 574,331 (14th most)
> Population: 10,516,579 (8th largest)
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3. New Jersey
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -33.5% (-56,109)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 111,132 (14th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 167,241 (17th fewest)
> Population: 8,885,418 (11th largest)
2. Indiana
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -42.1% (-573,335)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 789,792 (7th most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 1,363,127 (3rd most)
> Population: 6,696,893 (17th largest)
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1. Illinois
> Change in background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021 to Jan.-Aug. 2022: -61.1% (-4,362,300)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2022: 2,771,745 (the most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan.-Aug. 2021: 7,134,045 (the most)
> Population: 12,716,164 (6th largest)
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