Report Highlights: Although rates of firearm ownership vary widely from state to state, American civilians own more firearms than civilians in any other country.
- As of 2017, American civilians owned 46% (approximately 393.3 million) of the world’s 857 million civilian-use firearms. (Source)
- Montana has the highest percentage of gun owners, with 66.3% of residents reporting firearm ownership.
- Alaska, Idaho, Montana, West Virginia, and Wyoming have the highest rates of gun ownership in the U.S.
- Massachusetts and New Jersey have the lowest rate of gun ownership at only 8.9% of the population and the least amount per capita (1.1 for every 1,000 people). 14.7 guns per 100 people.
Note: State-level firearm ownership data may skew low due to restraints. All information regarding gun ownership is largely dependent on self-reporting, and states are less likely to publish gun ownership data than national databases.
Rates of Gun Ownership by State
Wyoming has the highest rate of gun ownership, with an estimated 66 firearms per 100 residents. Massachusetts and New Jersey share the lowest rate at 14.7 firearms for every 100 residents.
Gun Ownership by Country
Survey data taken in 2017 indicate there are approximately 857 million civilian-owned firearms globally2.
The United States has the highest rate of civilian gun ownership at 120.5 firearms for every 100 civilians. Switzerland ranks second with only 27.58 firearms for every 100 civilians. At 0.33 per 100 civilians, Japan has the fewest guns per capita.
Note: This information is based on a survey provided to various world governments. It is only as accurate as the governments cared to make it, and omits nonparticipating governments.
How Permits-to-Purchase and Background Checks Affect Gun Ownership
Although Minnesota, Nebraska, and Oregon have permit-to-purchase legislation, the states rank relatively high in gun ownership rates. Furthermore, states like Pennsylvania and Colorado require background checks for all firearm purchases, yet still rank high in ownership rates3, 4, 5.
States with strict firearm purchasing laws tend to have fewer firearms per capita – but that isn’t always the case. Many states rank relatively high despite mandating background checks and permits-to-purchase.
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