The U.S. has more guns than people, with nearly 400 million in civilian possession.
In this map, Visual Capitalist's Bruno Venditti ranks states by the highest percentage of gun ownership for adults, based on data from the Pew Research Center compiled by Data Pandas as of 2024.
High Gun Ownership in Northwestern America
Montana tops the ranking of the states with the highest percentage of gun ownership, with 66.3% of the adult population owning firearms. The state has some of the most relaxed gun control laws in America. No state permit is required to purchase or possess a rifle, shotgun, or handgun.
The state is followed on our list by its neighbor, Wyoming, where 66.2% of adults own a firearm. Alaska comes in third, with 64.5%.
| State | Gun Ownership Rate ↕ |
|---|---|
| Montana | 66.3% |
| Wyoming | 66.2% |
| Alaska | 64.5% |
| Idaho | 60.1% |
| West Virginia | 58.5% |
| Arkansas | 57.2% |
| Mississippi | 55.8% |
| Alabama | 55.5% |
| South Dakota | 55.3% |
| North Dakota | 55.1% |
| Oklahoma | 54.7% |
| Kentucky | 54.6% |
| Louisiana | 53.1% |
| Tennessee | 51.6% |
| Oregon | 50.8% |
| Vermont | 50.5% |
| South Carolina | 49.4% |
| Georgia | 49.2% |
| Kansas | 48.9% |
| Missouri | 48.8% |
| Nevada | 47.3% |
| Maine | 46.8% |
| Utah | 46.8% |
| Arizona | 46.3% |
| New Mexico | 46.2% |
| North Carolina | 45.8% |
| Texas | 45.7% |
| Wisconsin | 45.3% |
| Nebraska | 45.2% |
| Colorado | 45.1% |
| Indiana | 44.8% |
| Virginia | 44.6% |
| Iowa | 43.6% |
| Minnesota | 42.8% |
| Washington | 42.1% |
| New Hampshire | 41.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 40.7% |
| Michigan | 40.2% |
| Ohio | 40.0% |
| Florida | 35.3% |
| Delaware | 34.4% |
| Maryland | 30.2% |
| California | 28.3% |
| Illinois | 27.8% |
| Connecticut | 23.6% |
| New York | 19.9% |
| Hawaii | 14.9% |
| Rhode Island | 14.8% |
| New Jersey | 14.7% |
| Massachusetts | 14.7% |
On the other side of the spectrum, New Jersey and Massachusetts share the lowest gun ownership rate in the country, both at 14.7%.
Two other states with very low ownership rates include Hawaii (14.9%) and Rhode Island (14.8%).
The Number of Firearms is Increasing
According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), U.S. gun manufacturing and imports have increased by about 10% annually over the last decade.
In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic spurred record demand for firearms, 17 million guns entered the domestic market.
If you enjoyed this post, check out Which U.S. States Have the Most Gun Manufacturers? on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.
