America has more guns than any other country, and the number keeps increasing every year. From 1994 to 2023, gun ownership increased 28% in America.
Many gun owners believe that owning a firearm is essential to their freedom, whether they use it for hunting, sport shooting, or personal protection.
A survey found that 71% of gun owners enjoy having a gun, and an even higher percentage, 81%, feel safer owning one.
Before moving further, check out our detailed blog post on 'Gun Laws by State.' This resource provides valuable context on how state-specific regulations impact firearm ownership across the country.
Let's explore the details about gun ownership in the U.S as per 2023- 2024.
As per 2023 survey, 32% of Americans own at least one firearm. From 1994 to 2023, 28% gun ownership increased in America. In which women ownership increased by 13.6%, and Hispanics ownership increased by 33.3%.
Additionally, between 2019 and 2021, 7.5 million adults became first-time gun owners.
Approximately, more than 81.4 million Americans own guns. This number only includes adults over 18.
In 2023, 72% of gun owners cited self-defense as their main reason for having a gun, followed by hunting, sports shooting, collecting, and work-related requirements. (source: The Havok Journal)
In terms of demographics, gun ownership is more prevalent in rural areas (around 58% of households) compared to suburban (41%) and urban areas (29%) . (source : American Gun Facts)
Most American households have gun owners. The NBC News national poll found that 52% of Americans say they or someone in their household owns a firearm, the highest share since the outlet first surveyed the question in 1999.
In 2019, a NBC/Wall Street Journal poll found 46% of Americans said they or someone in their household owned a gun, while 42% said the same in 2013.
Gun ownership falls roughly along party lines, with 66% of Republicans, 45% of independents and 41% of Democrats saying they or someone in their household possesses a firearm.
The latest data, from 2023, 22% of women reporting they personally own a gun.
One-third of those first-timers are now women, according to CBS. In fact, it says there’s been a 77% increase in female gun ownership from 2005 to 2020, and those numbers keep rising.
Men have generally shown little change in ownership over the 2007-2022 period, while women's ownership has risen from 13% in 2007-2008 to 22% currently.
The reason why? Women say they don’t want to be a victim.
About four-in-ten adults say they live in a household with a gun, including 32% who say they personally own one, according to a Center survey conducted in June 2023. These numbers are virtually unchanged since the last time this question was asked in 2021.
About six-in-ten U.S. adults (58%) favor stricter gun laws. Another 26% say that U.S. gun laws are about right, while 15% favor less strict gun laws.
Most gun owners have multiple guns in the USA.
The main reasons that every American owns guns are self defense, hunting & sports shooting.
Montana has the highest gun ownership rate in the United States, with 66.3% of adults owning a gun. Wyoming follows closely at 66.2%, and Alaska ranks third with 64.5%.
According to the Pew Research Center, the southern United States has the highest number of gun owners, with about 36% of residents in this region owning a gun. The Midwest and West each have gun ownership levels exceeding 30%, while the Northeast has the lowest number of gun owners, at about 16%..(check details)
States with the highest and lowest rates of gun ownership
| State | Gun Ownership % |
| Top 7 States With Highest Gun Ownership % | |
|---|---|
| Montana | 66.3% |
| Wyoming | 66.2% |
| Alaska | 64.5% |
| Idaho | 60.1% |
| West Virginia | 58.5% |
| Arkansas | 57.2% |
| Mississippi | 55.8% |
| Top 7 States With Lowest Gun Ownership % | |
| New Jersey | 14.7% |
| Massachusetts | 14.7% |
| Rhode Island | 14.8% |
| Hawaii | 14.9% |
| New York | 19.9% |
| Connecticut | 23.6% |
| California | 28.3% |
As per 2023, approximately 40% of Americans, which is more than 82 million people, own guns. According to a survey , 28% more people report having firearms in 2023 compared to twenty years ago.
Percentage of personally owned & households in the United States owning one or more firearms from 2007 to 2023.
According to a survey conducted in June 2024, Americans were divided on the issue of gun ownership. 48% of respondents believed it was more important to limit gun ownership, while 51% felt it was more important to protect the right of Americans to own guns. (check source)
According to thetrace.org, over 494 million firearms have been produced for the U.S. market since 1899, and production has been speeding up. This total includes imports from foreign gunmakers but doesn't count exports by U.S. gunmakers.
Over the past decade, U.S. gun manufacturing and imports have increased by about 10% each year, while exports have stayed relatively stable. (source)
These statistics are based on the latest available data from the sources we listed in the end. Due to differences in data collection and reporting, numbers may vary.
This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview, but readers should consult multiple sources for the most current information.
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