Americans bought 5.5 million guns to start 2024. See where Texas ranks among the states.
Texas residents purchased more guns in the first four months of 2024 than those of any other state, data shows. However, its size might partially account for its high numbers.
Last week, the U.S. surgeon general declared gun violence a public health crisis, issuing a 39-page advisory on initiatives to prevent firearm deaths. The advisory said the rate of firearm-related deaths “reached a near three-decade high in 2021."
About a third of Americans say they own a gun, Pew Research data shows. That statistic reflects the deep-rooted culture of gun ownership in the U.S. Another report found that in the first four months of 2024, nearly 5.5 million firearms were purchased in this country.
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Data from the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System was analyzed by SafeHomes.org, a safety product review site, to determine which states had the largest ownership of recently purchased firearms.
As the second-most populous state in the country, Texas accounted for nearly half a million firearm purchases, or 9% of all guns sold, through April.
Texas sold the most guns in 2023
The states where the most guns were sold last year are largely a reflection of their population size. The top three states for gun sales in 2023 have the most residents. According to SafeHomes' analysis of the FBI data, these are the states with the most firearm sales in 2023:
Texas: 1,347,589
Florida: 1,316,471
California: 1,043,421
Pennsylvania: 841,523
Tennessee: 633,015
Ohio: 583,314
Virginia: 581,698
Michigan: 555,650
Missouri: 520,488
Illinois: 504,452
More on Texas gun laws: Uvalde families fought for gun safety reforms. Here's what the Texas Legislature did.
Nationwide legal gun sales declined slightly last year
Nationwide gun sales decreased in 2023, SafeHomes Managing Editor Rob Gabriele said. About 16.7 million firearms were sold, the report said, down 4% from 2022.
Which states had the most gun sales, adjusted for population?
Adjusted for population, Montana, Wyoming and Alaska had the highest gun sale rates, according to SafeHomes' report.
"These states have strong hunting traditions fostered by rural lifestyles and less rigid gun control laws," Gabriele said. "The pro-gun cultures and the need for self-defense in such remote areas, which abound in predators that could harm livestock, may also contribute to higher gun ownership and sales."
The top 10 states on the list had more than 1,000 guns sold per 10,000 residents ages 21 and older. Comparatively, only 632 of every 10,000 Texans bought guns in 2023.
Gun violence reaches an all-time high
According to U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, more than 48,000 people died by gun violence in 2022, an increase of 16,000 deaths compared with 2010. At the same time, firearm-related suicides had risen 20%, including a “staggering increase” in such deaths among young people, the advisory noted.
Murthy said gun violence demands a public health approach rather than the polarizing political response.
Gun violence became the leading cause of death for children, and U.S. adults are worried that they or a loved one will become a victim, according to Reuters. More than half of U.S. adults said they or a family member had experienced a firearm-related incident, a 2023 report from KFF found.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Map shows the US states with the most guns, gun owners per capita
