Report Highlights: Firearm ownership increased by 26% between 2000 and 2024 overall.
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Household firearm ownership decreased by 26.5% from 49% of households to 36% of households between 1959 and 2025.
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Between 28-43% of men report owning guns, compared to 17-25% of females.
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According to the latest surveys, Democrat gun ownership fell by 31.8% between 2007 and 2025, while Republican ownership fell by 18.4%.
Related Studies: Gun Ownership by State | American Gun Ownership: The Positive Impacts of Law-Abiding Citizens Owning Firearms | 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 the most accurate information using the most up-to-date surveys.
Firearm Ownership in America by Year
Firearm ownership in America ranges from 23-31% according to 2025 survey data.Sources 10, 11
Gallup surveys indicate that 30% of Americans personally owned a firearm in 2000. The number of individual gun owners increased to 33% in 2020, then again in 2024 (34%), and then declined in 2025 (31%). Sources 1, 11
In 2024, a Pew Research Center survey showed that 32% of Americans personally own firearms. Source 5
Household Firearm Ownership by Year
Firearm ownership in America was between 36% and 42% of households in 2025. Sources 10, 11
According to Gallup, household ownership in 1949 was 49%. Ownership fell to an all-time low in 1999 at 34%, increased to 42% in 2024, and remained at 42% in 2025. Source 1 This data aligns with a 2024 Pew poll indicating that 42% of Americans live in a household with a gun, and that 32% own one personally. Sourc e 5
A report published by The Violence Prevention Project indicates that 50.9% of American adults lived in a household with a firearm in 1980. This number dropped to 35.2% in 2021. Sourc e 12
Conversely, a 2025 YouGov survey showed that only 36% of Americans live in a household with a firearm, and only 23% personally own one. Sour ce 11
Firearm Ownership by Gender by Year
In 1980, 50% of American men and only 10% of American women owned guns. In the late 2010s, the number of men owning firearms decreased, while the number of women owning guns increased. Sourc e 4, 9
In 2025, between 28% and 40% of men reported owning a firearm, while 17-25% of women reported owning one or more guns. Sources 5, 10, 11
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