Firearm Ownership Rates Ranked by State From 1 to 50
Firearm ownership varies greatly across the United States. Regional variations, cultural differences, and varying state legislation all play a role in how many firearms each state has.
Collecting the Data
Wisevoter published and ranked statistics on firearm ownership rates in each state. For reference, the national firearm ownership rate is 39.8%.
1: Montana
Montana has the highest firearm ownership rate in the nation. The Treasure State has a 65.7% ownership rate, likely due to lenient legislation, a rural landscape, and strong hunting traditions.
2: Wyoming
With a 60.7% ownership rate, Wyoming is known as the Cowboy State for a reason. Wyoming residents value independence, and policymakers appear hesitant to create firearm legislation that would limit firearm ownership.
3: West Virginia
Many hunters and recreational shooters call West Virginia home, which helps explain the 60.6% ownership rate. With a culture that values self-reliance and often mistrusts government authority, it’s unlikely the Mountain State will put strict regulations on firearm ownership in the near future.
4: Idaho
The firearm ownership rate in Idaho is 57.8%. With its rural landscape and rich hunting traditions, the Gem State puts minimal limits on firearm ownership. The population, which is majority Republican, also has libertarian leanings, which include a dislike of government control.
5: Alaska
The harsh northern wilderness makes firearm ownership common in Alaska, where the ownership rate is 57.2%. Many people in The Last Frontier live far from city services and use firearms for self-defense.
6: South Dakota
South Dakota has a 55.6% firearm ownership rate. Home to many ranches and a culture that promotes recreational shooting, the Mount Rushmore State is also relatively lax in its firearm laws, which allow residents to legally and openly carry without a permit.
7: Oklahoma
Many Oklahomans ranch, farm, or hunt, which helps explain the 54.9% firearm ownership rate. In 2019, the Sooner State repealed its requirement that residents obtain a license and background check before carrying a weapon in public.
8: Mississippi
Firearms are essential tools for many hunters living in Mississippi, which has a 54.1% firearm ownership rate. With virtually no firearm restrictions in place, Mississippi residents can easily obtain and carry firearms.
9: North Dakota
North Dakota has a 53.3% firearm ownership rate. Many citizens enjoy hunting in the Great Plains, which partially accounts for the high rate of ownership. North Dakota has also become more open to firearms in recent years, with legislation in 2017 that enacted permitless carry and got rid of background checks.
10: Alabama
Deep-red Alabama has long shown a distrust for government regulation, especially around firearms. The Cotton State enacted permitless carry laws in 2022, allowing citizens to carry a handgun without a permit or background check. The ownership rate in Alabama is 52.8%.
11: Missouri
Missouri has a 52.8% firearm ownership rate. Missourian hunters harvested nearly 42,000 turkeys during the 2023 turkey hunting season, one of several reasons for the Show Me State’s above-average firearm ownership rate. Missouri also has permitless concealed carry legislation.
12: Kentucky
Hunting and recreational shooting play a significant role in Kentucky’s economy and help to explain the 52.5% firearm ownership rate. Kentucky residents also have a history of Second Amendment advocacy.
13: Louisiana
Louisiana has over 900,000 licensed hunters, and firearm laws are relatively lax, making firearm ownership common. The Pelican state has a 52.3% ownership rate.
14: Arkansas
The firearm ownership rate in Arkansas is 51.8%. Hunting and shooting sports are common in the Natural State, and firearm laws are permissive. Residents do not need a permit for open or concealed carry.
15: Vermont
Vermont is one of few blue states to retain permissive firearm laws, probably due in part to its rich hunting tradition. With just over half the population registered as firearm owners (50.3%), the Green Mountain State still has relatively low firearm fatalities, at 11.6 per 100,000 residents.
16: Maine
Despite strict firearm regulations that include background checks, Maine has a 47.7% firearm ownership rate. However, there are relatively few firearms in the state, at only 15.6 for every 1,000 residents.
17: Wisconsin
Wisconsin has a firearm ownership rate of 47.1%, likely due to its strong hunting culture. Stringent firearm laws, which include background checks and waiting periods, may keep the total number of firearms down, though, as the number of weapons per capita is relatively low.
18: Tennessee
Many Tennesseans own firearms for hunting and recreational shooting purposes, and the ownership rate is high at 46.9%. Lenient firearm laws may also play a role, though. The Volunteer State does not require a permit to carry a firearm, whether openly or concealed.
19: New Hampshire
New Hampshire puts few restrictions on firearm purchases or ownership and has a high firearm ownership rate of 46.3%. Luckily for residents, the firearm fatality rate is very low. At only 8.9 fatalities for every 100,000 citizens, New Hampshire ranks 43rd out of 50 states for firearm fatalities.
20: South Carolina
The firearm ownership rate in South Carolina is 45.5%. Many residents of the Palmetto State cite hunting and fishing as their reason for owning a weapon.
21: Indiana
Relatively lenient firearm laws help account for the 42.4% ownership rate in Indiana. Residents of the Hoosier State can carry a concealed weapon without a permit. There is also no law requiring state registration for firearms.
22: Kansas
In recent years, Kansas has made it easier to own and carry a firearm within state lines by repealing background check laws. The ownership rate is 42.3% in Dorothy’s homeland, and Kansas ranks 18th in the nation for supplying crime-related firearms to other states.
23: Ohio
Ohio has a 41.9% firearm ownership rate. An ever-increasing deer population makes the Buckeye State a popular hunting ground. Permissive laws also allow residents to purchase and carry a firearm with ease.
24: Oregon
In Oregon, the firearm ownership rate is 41.4%. Open carry without a permit is legal throughout the Beaver State, though specific counties and cities may set stricter rules. Portland, for example, does not allow residents to carry a loaded weapon (unloaded is okay).
25: Pennsylvania
Pro-firearm culture is strong in Pennsylvania, where the ownership rate is 40.2%. While the Keystone State requires universal background checks on handguns, there are fewer regulations on long-barrel and assault-style weapons.
26: Utah
Utah has a firearm ownership rate of 39.7%, which is 0.01% below the national average. Residents may carry a firearm without a permit, and there are few restrictions when making a firearm purchase. However, the Beehive State does have some legislation in place, such as requiring police to remove all weapons from a home if they receive a domestic violence call.
27: Nebraska
Nebraska residents may feel the need to own a weapon due to the state’s rural nature. There’s a 39.2% firearm ownership rate in the Cornhusker State and only 10.1 firearm fatalities for every 100,000 people.
28: Minnesota
Minnesota’s relatively low firearm ownership rate (39.1%) may be due to its tough laws. Legislation in the Land of 10,000 Lakes ensures residents cannot purchase a weapon without a background check, must obtain a permit before owning a firearm, and cannot purchase an assault-style gun.
29: Michigan
Approximately 38.9% of Michigan residents own firearms. Laws related to firearm ownership changed significantly in 2023 when the Democrat-run state legislature passed legislation requiring background checks, safe storage, and temporary firearm removal from court-deemed dangerous homes.
30: Delaware
Delaware has a 38.7% firearm ownership rate amidst strong firearm regulations. In 2022, Governor Carney signed legislation that banned most assault weapon sales, raised the legal purchase age to 21, and limited high-capacity magazines.
31: Iowa
Iowa recently relaxed its firearm violence prevention laws by removing its permitting requirements for firearm purchases. The Hawkeye State also recently began allowing concealed carry without a permit. The firearm ownership rate is 38.5% and rising as the new laws pave the way for more first-time firearm owners.
32: Colorado
Colorado has a 37.9% firearm ownership rate. Recent legislation is making it harder for residents of the Centennial State to purchase or own a weapon. In April 2023, the governor signed four bills into law that raise the minimum purchase age, impose a three-day post-purchase waiting period, and expand the state’s red-flag law, amongst other things.
33: Georgia
Purchasing and carrying a firearm is relatively easy in Georgia, where there are no permit requirements. Permitless carry came about after a 2022 legislation change that allows any weapon carrier to carry a firearm open or concealed without a background check or license. The Peach State has a 37.7% firearm ownership rate.
34: North Carolina
The firearm ownership rate in North Carolina is 37.1%. Hunting and recreational shooting are popular pastimes in the Tar Heel State, and firearm laws are permissive. There are no waiting periods or permit requirements when purchasing a weapon there.
35: Arizona
Despite minimal firearm restrictions, firearm ownership in Arizona is on the decline. In 1980, the firearm ownership rate was 58%, but today it is only 36.4%. Changing population demographics likely drove the decrease in ownership rates.
36: New Mexico
New Mexico has relatively lenient firearm laws, with no restrictions on assault-weapon sales and no required waiting periods. The ownership rate is 35.9%, but the registered firearm rate is 58.1 for every 1,000 people, showing that there are a large number of weapons in the Land of Enchantment.
37: Texas
Home to a number of weapons manufacturers and a firearm-friendly culture, Texas has a 35.5% ownership rate. In comparison to other states, that may not sound high, but given the size of Texas’s population, 35.5% makes for many firearm owners.
38: Virginia
The firearm ownership rate in Virginia is 35.3%. Relatively permissive laws exist currently, but many Virginia residents want to see them become more stringent. Virginia had 20 mass shootings in 2022 alone.
39: Nevada
As part of the Wild West, Nevada is known for a culture that values personal liberties, including the freedom to own a firearm. The Silver State has a firearm ownership rate of 32.9% and lenient firearm laws. Many citizens own weapons for hunting, recreational shooting, and self-defense.
40: Washington
Washington has a firearm ownership rate of 32.1%. Hunting and recreational shooting are popular throughout the Evergreen State, but firearm laws are also especially strict. Legislation requires background checks on all firearm purchases, bans high-capacity magazines, and bans carrying a weapon to public demonstrations.
41: Florida
Despite relatively permissive firearm laws, the ownership rate in Florida is only 28.8%. Governor Ron DeSantis recently signed a bill that allows citizens to carry a concealed weapon without a permit.
42: Illinois
The firearm ownership rate in Illinois is 22.6%. Strict weapons laws curb ownership, but firearm violence is still high. There are 14.1 firearm fatalities for every 100,000 citizens.
43: Connecticut
Connecticut’s firearm laws are stringent. There’s a full ban on assault-style rifles and high-capacity magazines. The ownership rate in the state is only 18.8%.
44: Maryland
Maryland has a 16.7% ownership rate but 22.1 firearms per capita, which is more than many other states. While the Old Line State places tight controls on weapon ownership, neighboring states do not, which may be why there are few firearm owners but many firearms.
45: California
The firearm ownership rate in California is 16.3%. Citizens of the Golden State cannot purchase assault weapons or high-capacity magazines. They also must undergo a background check before purchasing a firearm.
46: New York
New York has exceptionally stringent legislation around firearms. Citizens must obtain a license before they can own a handgun, and assault weapons are illegal. The ownership rate in the Empire State is 14.5%.
47: Rhode Island
The firearm ownership rate in Rhode Island is 13.9%. In recent years, the Ocean State has leveled up its firearm laws by banning the open carry of loaded shotguns and increasing the minimum purchase age to 21.
48: Massachusetts
Less than one in ten (9.9%) Massachusetts residents own firearms, according to Wisevoter’s data. Weapons owners in the Bay State must apply for a firearm license and are subject to a background check.
49: Hawaii
Hawaii has a firearm ownership rate of 9.1%. The Aloha State also has the second-lowest rate of firearm fatalities in the country.
50: New Jersey
New Jersey has the lowest firearm ownership rate in the US, at 8.9%. Firearm owners must obtain a license and pass a background check. They also cannot purchase certain firearm types, including assault-style rifles.
Registered Owners vs Firearms Per Capita
The number of registered firearm owners in a state can vary greatly from the number of firearms per capita. For example, Florida ranks 40th for ownership rate but 24th for weapons per capita. The Sunshine State has permissive firearm laws and plenty of firearms within state borders, but as a percentage of the population, the number of firearm owners is low.
States With the Highest and Lowest Firearm Fatality Rates
Most Americans would agree that too many citizens lose their lives to firearms. However, some states have higher rates of firearm fatalities than others. These are the states with the most and least annual firearm fatalities.
States With the Highest and Lowest Firearm Fatality Rates Ranked From 1 to 50
