Introduction
The degree of gun violence within the United States has reached alarming levels, and the U.S remains the country with the highest number of shootings and gun violence-related deaths in the world. Gun violence in this instance would include everything from a drive-by shooting, a murder with a firearm to a planned mass shooting, or even a school shooting.
Under the 2nd amendment to the Constitution, civilians are allowed to own firearms for self-defense purposes or to form a militia in the event of tyrannical rule. But while gun ownership is not unique to the U.S., gun violence certainly is a major issue for the country.
To find out more about the differing gun violence rates in the U.S, please refer to the data in the charts.
| # | State | Gun Death Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mississippi | 28.6 |
| 2 | Louisiana | 26.3 |
| 3 | Wyoming | 25.9 |
| 4 | Missouri | 23.9 |
| 5 | Alabama | 23.6 |
| 6 | Alaska | 23.5 |
| 7 | New Mexico | 22.7 |
| 8 | Arkansas | 22.6 |
| 9 | South Carolina | 22 |
| 10 | Tennessee | 21.3 |
| 11 | Montana | 20.9 |
| 12 | Oklahoma | 20.7 |
| 13 | Kentucky | 20.1 |
| 14 | West Virginia | 18.1 |
| 15 | Georgia | 17.7 |
| 16 | Idaho | 17.6 |
| 17 | Indiana | 17.3 |
| 18 | Nevada | 17 |
| 19 | Kansas | 16.9 |
| 20 | Arizona | 16.7 |
| 21 | North Carolina | 16 |
| 22 | Colorado | 15.4 |
| 23 | Ohio | 15.2 |
| 24 | Michigan | 14.6 |
| 25 | Delaware | 14.4 |
| 26 | Texas | 14.2 |
| 27 | Illinois | 14.1 |
| 28 | North Dakota | 13.8 |
| 29 | Florida | 13.7 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | 13.6 |
| 31 | South Dakota | 13.6 |
| 32 | Utah | 13.6 |
| 33 | Maryland | 13.5 |
| 34 | Virginia | 13.4 |
| 35 | Oregon | 13 |
| 36 | Wisconsin | 12.2 |
| 37 | Vermont | 11.6 |
| 38 | Iowa | 11.2 |
| 39 | Washington | 10.9 |
| 40 | Maine | 10.4 |
| 41 | Nebraska | 10.1 |
| 42 | Minnesota | 8.9 |
| 43 | New Hampshire | 8.9 |
| 44 | California | 8.5 |
| 45 | Connecticut | 6 |
| 46 | New York | 5.3 |
| 47 | Rhode Island | 5.1 |
| 48 | New Jersey | 5 |
| 49 | Massachusetts | 3.7 |
| 50 | Hawaii | 3.4 |
Gun Death Rate by State
Alabama
23.6
Ranked in the US
#5
Alaska
23.5
Ranked in the US
#6
Arizona
16.7
Ranked in the US
#20
Arkansas
22.6
Ranked in the US
#8
California
Ranked in the US
#44
Colorado
15.4
Ranked in the US
#22
Connecticut
Ranked in the US
#45
Delaware
14.4
Ranked in the US
#25
Florida
13.7
Ranked in the US
#29
Georgia
17.7
Ranked in the US
#15
Hawaii
Ranked in the US
#50
Idaho
17.6
Ranked in the US
#16
Illinois
14.1
Ranked in the US
#27
Indiana
17.3
Ranked in the US
#17
Iowa
11.2
Ranked in the US
#38
Kansas
16.9
Ranked in the US
#19
Kentucky
20.1
Ranked in the US
#13
Louisiana
26.3
Ranked in the US
#2
Maine
10.4
Ranked in the US
#40
Maryland
13.5
Ranked in the US
#33
Massachusetts
Ranked in the US
#49
Michigan
14.6
Ranked in the US
#24
Minnesota
Ranked in the US
#42
Mississippi
28.6
Ranked in the US
#1
Missouri
23.9
Ranked in the US
#4
Montana
20.9
Ranked in the US
#11
Nebraska
10.1
Ranked in the US
#41
Nevada
Ranked in the US
#18
New Hampshire
Ranked in the US
#43
New Jersey
Ranked in the US
#48
New Mexico
22.7
Ranked in the US
#7
New York
Ranked in the US
#46
North Carolina
Ranked in the US
#21
North Dakota
13.8
Ranked in the US
#28
Ohio
15.2
Ranked in the US
#23
Oklahoma
20.7
Ranked in the US
#12
Oregon
Ranked in the US
#35
Pennsylvania
13.6
Ranked in the US
#30
Rhode Island
Ranked in the US
#47
South Carolina
Ranked in the US
#9
South Dakota
13.6
Ranked in the US
#31
Tennessee
21.3
Ranked in the US
#10
Texas
14.2
Ranked in the US
#26
Utah
13.6
Ranked in the US
#32
Vermont
11.6
Ranked in the US
#37
Virginia
13.4
Ranked in the US
#34
Washington
10.9
Ranked in the US
#39
West Virginia
18.1
Ranked in the US
#14
Wisconsin
12.2
Ranked in the US
#36
Wyoming
25.9
Ranked in the US
#3