Report Highlights: Firearm ownership increased by 26% between 2000 and 2024 overall.
- Household firearm ownership declined by 5% between 1975 and 2024.
- Male firearm ownership decreased by 25% since 1980, while female ownership surged by 177% during the same period.
- Between 2020 and 2023, 21 million Americans purchased their first firearm.
- Democratic gun ownership fell by 55% between 1999 and 2024, while Republican ownership rose 10%.
Related Studies: Gun Ownership by State | American Gun Ownership: A Look At Its Positive Impact | How Many Gun Owners Are in America?
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Methodology
The United States does not track or maintain official records of firearm ownership. As a result, understanding how many Americans own guns requires reliance on self-reported data, which can vary depending on the source, method, and willingness of individuals to disclose ownership.
To address these inconsistencies, we analyzed multiple self-reporting surveys and cross-referenced their findings with reputable studies and publicly available data. By combining insights from trusted sources and utilizing a comprehensive approach, we provided accurate and reliable reporting in the following sections.
Firearm Ownership in America by Year
Firearm ownership increased by 26% from 2000 to 2024. In 2000, only 27% of Americans owned guns. In 2000, only 27% (76,140,000 people) owned guns. After the pandemic gun buying spree, 34% (117,564,399 people) reportedly owned at least one firearm.1
Household Firearm Ownership by Year
Although personal firearm ownership increased between 2000 and 2024, fewer households have firearms today. In 1975, 44% of households had firearms (39,756,600). This increased to 47% in 1990. The number of households with firearms decreased to 39% and increased to 42% between 2020 and 2024 (55,440,000). 1
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