There is no single official census of gun ownership by state. The most-cited state-by-state comparisons come from statistical estimates of the share of adults living in a household with a firearm, based on multiple surveys plus administrative indicators.
Gun Ownership by State (Top Highlights)
- Highest estimated household gun ownership: Montana at 64% (average estimate, 2007–2016).
- Lowest estimated household gun ownership: Hawaii and New Jersey at 8% (average estimate, 2007–2016).
- Gap between highest and lowest: 56 percentage points (64% vs 8%).
- National benchmark (survey): 41% of U.S. adults reported living in a household with a gun (KFF, 2023).
- Rural vs urban (personal ownership): Pew reports 47% of rural adults say they personally own a firearm vs 20% of urban adults (2024).
Top states for estimated household gun ownership (average 2007–2016)
Estimated share of adults living in a household with a firearm (average, 2007–2016).
| State | Bar | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Montana | 64% | |
| Alaska | 59% | |
| Wyoming | 59% | |
| West Virginia | 58% | |
| North Dakota | 55% | |
| Idaho | 53% | |
| South Dakota | 52% | |
| Oklahoma | 51% | |
| Alabama | 50% | |
| Arkansas | 50% | |
| Mississippi | 50% | |
| Kentucky | 49% |
Max = 64%. Widths: Montana 100.00%, Alaska 92.19%, Wyoming 92.19%, West Virginia 90.62%, North Dakota 85.94%, Idaho 82.81%, South Dakota 81.25%, Oklahoma 79.69%, Alabama 78.12%, Arkansas 78.12%, Mississippi 78.12%, Kentucky 76.56%.
Lowest states for estimated household gun ownership (average 2007–2016)
Estimated share of adults living in a household with a firearm (average, 2007–2016).
| State | Bar | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 8% | |
| New Jersey | 8% | |
| Massachusetts | 10% | |
| Rhode Island | 11% | |
| New York | 14% | |
| California | 18% | |
| Connecticut | 18% | |
| Maryland | 21% | |
| Illinois | 24% | |
| Florida | 29% |
Max = 29%. Widths: Hawaii 27.59%, New Jersey 27.59%, Massachusetts 34.48%, Rhode Island 37.93%, New York 48.28%, California 62.07%, Connecticut 62.07%, Maryland 72.41%, Illinois 82.76%, Florida 100.00%.
All states ranked (average 2007–2016 estimate)
Ranked by the estimated share of adults living in a household with a firearm (average, 2007–2016). District of Columbia is listed as “not estimated.”
| Rank | State | Estimated % |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | 64% |
| 2 | Alaska | 59% |
| 3 | Wyoming | 59% |
| 4 | West Virginia | 58% |
| 5 | North Dakota | 55% |
| 6 | Idaho | 53% |
| 7 | South Dakota | 52% |
| 8 | Oklahoma | 51% |
| 9 | Alabama | 50% |
| 10 | Arkansas | 50% |
| 11 | Mississippi | 50% |
| 12 | Kentucky | 49% |
| 13 | Louisiana | 48% |
| 14 | Missouri | 48% |
| 15 | Tennessee | 46% |
| 16 | Vermont | 46% |
| 17 | Maine | 45% |
| 18 | Oregon | 44% |
| 19 | Kansas | 43% |
| 20 | South Carolina | 43% |
| 21 | Wisconsin | 43% |
| 22 | Indiana | 40% |
| 23 | Colorado | 39% |
| 24 | Georgia | 39% |
| 25 | Minnesota | 39% |
| 26 | Nebraska | 39% |
| 27 | New Hampshire | 39% |
| 28 | New Mexico | 39% |
| 29 | Utah | 39% |
| 30 | Iowa | 38% |
| 31 | Arizona | 37% |
| 32 | Pennsylvania | 37% |
| 33 | Texas | 37% |
| 34 | Virginia | 37% |
| 35 | Nevada | 36% |
| 36 | Ohio | 36% |
| 37 | Michigan | 35% |
| 38 | North Carolina | 35% |
| 39 | Washington | 34% |
| 40 | Delaware | 30% |
| 41 | Florida | 29% |
| 42 | Illinois | 24% |
| 43 | Maryland | 21% |
| 44 | California | 18% |
| 45 | Connecticut | 18% |
| 46 | New York | 14% |
| 47 | Rhode Island | 11% |
| 48 | Massachusetts | 10% |
| 49 | Hawaii | 8% |
| 50 | New Jersey | 8% |
| — | District of Columbia | Not estimated |
How to interpret “gun ownership by state”
- Household exposure vs personal ownership: The state estimates above reflect the share of adults living in a household with a firearm, which is not the same as personal ownership.
- Why modeling is used: Direct state-level measures are limited, so estimates combine survey responses with indicators associated with firearm ownership.
- What the estimates use: The method combines multiple surveys with administrative indicators such as firearm suicides, hunting licenses, and background checks.
FAQ
Which state has the highest estimated gun ownership?
In the 2007–2016 average estimates, Montana is highest at 64% (share of adults living in a household with a firearm).
Which states have the lowest estimated gun ownership?
In the same estimates, Hawaii and New Jersey are lowest at 8%.
Why don’t all sources agree on gun ownership by state?
Definitions and methods differ (personal ownership vs household exposure), and many state-level figures are model-based because year-by-year, state-by-state survey coverage is limited.
Sources
- RAND — Gun Ownership in America (Average Gun Ownership, by State: 2007–2016): https://www.rand.org/research/gun-policy/gun-ownership.html
- RAND — State-Level Estimates of Household Firearm Ownership (tool page): https://www.rand.org/pubs/tools/TL354.html
- RAND — State-Level Estimates of Household Firearm Ownership (PDF methodology): https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/tools/TL300/TL354/RAND_TL354.pdf
- KFF (Apr 11, 2023) — Americans’ Experiences With Gun-Related Violence, Injuries, and Deaths (41% household with a gun): https://www.kff.org/other-health/americans-experiences-with-gun-related-violence-injuries-and-deaths/
- Pew Research Center (Jul 24, 2024) — Key facts about Americans and guns (rural/suburban/urban ownership): https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/07/24/key-facts-about-americans-and-guns/
- JAMA Network Open (Feb 5, 2024) — Geographic and Demographic Differences in the Proportion of Individuals Living in Households With a Firearm, 1990–2018: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2815585