The trend in gun sales has begun to change in 2022, compared to most other years in the past decade. Using the FBI’s firearms background checks as a proxy, gun sales reached 38,876,673 in 2021. This was down slightly from the record set in 2020 of 39,695,315. However, 2021 was still close to a record.
Several theories explain the sharp rise in gun sales over the past two years and the subsequent drop in 2022. Violence in American cities during protests is one reason for the increase. These have been much less frequent recently. Another notion is that the pandemic has increased concerns (perhaps irrationally) about protecting one’s property. The 2022 background check figures show that these factors may have begun to disappear.
Despite the decline in sales, gun violence continues to be a regular part of the news headlines this year. Murders in American cities spiked last year, particularly in large cities. So far this year, the trend has continued. Some metro areas, such as Milwaukee and Philadelphia, have reported a sharp increase in the number of murders, which in most cases involve guns.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 14,580 gun deaths in America so far in 2022 (figure taken on May 4). Even with stricter gun ownership and purchasing laws, the difficult fact is that about 400 million guns currently are owned by private citizens, the police, and the military. The chance that civilians who own guns will turn them into the government, no matter what the incentive, is small. (These are cities where murder rate is soaring.)
Gun sales collapsed in the first four months of this year, compared to the same period in 2021. So far, the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System reported 10,835,701 background checks, compared to 15,966,389 in the first four months of 2021. That means the 2022 number was only 68% of the number for 2021.
Total gun sales remained high in some states. Background check figures were particularly high in Illinois, which topped all states, at 1,470,238 during the first four months. That was barely ahead of second-place Kentucky at 1,418,311. (These are states where crime is soaring.)
To determine how many guns were sold in each state so far this year, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on background checks data from Jan. 1, 2022, to April 30, 2022, from the FBI’s NICS Firearm Checks. We used the background checks as a proxy for year-to-date gun sales. Population data used to calculate gun sales per capita came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Population and Housing Unit Estimates program and are for July 1, 2021.
Click here to see gun sales plunged, here’s each states figure
Source: Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images
Alabama
> Gun sales this year: 263,312 (12th most)
> Gun sales per capita: 52.2 per 1,000 (6th most)
> Total population: 5.0 million (24th largest)
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Source: julof90 / iStock via Getty Images
Alaska
> Gun sales this year: 26,277 (7th least)
> Gun sales per capita: 35.9 per 1,000 (13th most)
> Total population: 732,673 (3rd smallest)
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Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
Arizona
> Gun sales this year: 184,377 (19th most)
> Gun sales per capita: 25.3 per 1,000 (20th least)
> Total population: 7.3 million (14th largest)
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
Arkansas
> Gun sales this year: 79,123 (20th least)
> Gun sales per capita: 26.1 per 1,000 (22nd least)
> Total population: 3.0 million (18th smallest)
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Source: bluejayphoto / iStock via Getty Images
California
> Gun sales this year: 456,176 (5th most)
> Gun sales per capita: 11.6 per 1,000 (6th least)
> Total population: 39.2 million (the largest)
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
Colorado
> Gun sales this year: 180,776 (21st most)
> Gun sales per capita: 31.1 per 1,000 (21st most)
> Total population: 5.8 million (21st largest)
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Source: Jon Bilous / iStock via Getty Images
Connecticut
> Gun sales this year: 90,096 (22nd least)
> Gun sales per capita: 25.0 per 1,000 (19th least)
> Total population: 3.6 million (22nd smallest)
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Source: sframephoto / iStock via Getty Images
Delaware
> Gun sales this year: 20,389 (4th least)
> Gun sales per capita: 20.3 per 1,000 (13th least)
> Total population: 1.0 million (6th smallest)
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images
Florida
> Gun sales this year: 499,600 (4th most)
> Gun sales per capita: 22.9 per 1,000 (17th least)
> Total population: 21.8 million (3rd largest)
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Source: SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images
Georgia
> Gun sales this year: 213,321 (17th most)
> Gun sales per capita: 19.8 per 1,000 (11th least)
> Total population: 10.8 million (8th largest)
Source: Art Wager / iStock via Getty Images
Hawaii
> Gun sales this year: 5,922 (the least)
> Gun sales per capita: 4.1 per 1,000 (the least)
> Total population: 1.4 million (11th smallest)
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Source: vkbhat / E+ via Getty Images
Idaho
> Gun sales this year: 79,949 (21st least)
> Gun sales per capita: 42.1 per 1,000 (8th most)
> Total population: 1.9 million (13th smallest)
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Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
Illinois
> Gun sales this year: 1,470,238 (the most)
> Gun sales per capita: 116.0 per 1,000 (2nd most)
> Total population: 12.7 million (6th largest)
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
Indiana
> Gun sales this year: 455,906 (6th most)
> Gun sales per capita: 67.0 per 1,000 (4th most)
> Total population: 6.8 million (17th largest)
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Source: dangarneau / iStock via Getty Images
Iowa
> Gun sales this year: 96,111 (23rd least)
> Gun sales per capita: 30.1 per 1,000 (23rd most)
> Total population: 3.2 million (20th smallest)
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
Kansas
> Gun sales this year: 66,187 (17th least)
> Gun sales per capita: 22.6 per 1,000 (16th least)
> Total population: 2.9 million (16th smallest)
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Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
Kentucky
> Gun sales this year: 1,418,331 (2nd most)
> Gun sales per capita: 314.5 per 1,000 (the most)
> Total population: 4.5 million (25th smallest)
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Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
Louisiana
> Gun sales this year: 120,796 (25th least)
> Gun sales per capita: 26.1 per 1,000 (21st least)
> Total population: 4.6 million (25th largest)
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
Maine
> Gun sales this year: 36,538 (10th least)
> Gun sales per capita: 26.6 per 1,000 (23rd least)
> Total population: 1.4 million (9th smallest)
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Source: Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images
Maryland
> Gun sales this year: 77,689 (19th least)
> Gun sales per capita: 12.6 per 1,000 (7th least)
> Total population: 6.2 million (19th largest)
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images
Massachusetts
> Gun sales this year: 77,659 (18th least)
> Gun sales per capita: 11.1 per 1,000 (5th least)
> Total population: 7.0 million (15th largest)
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Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
Michigan
> Gun sales this year: 280,083 (11th most)
> Gun sales per capita: 27.9 per 1,000 (25th least)
> Total population: 10.1 million (10th largest)
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Source: Davel5957 / E+ via Getty Images
Minnesota
> Gun sales this year: 320,131 (9th most)
> Gun sales per capita: 56.1 per 1,000 (5th most)
> Total population: 5.7 million (22nd largest)
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images
Mississippi
> Gun sales this year: 96,430 (24th least)
> Gun sales per capita: 32.7 per 1,000 (17th most)
> Total population: 2.9 million (17th smallest)
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Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
Missouri
> Gun sales this year: 184,146 (20th most)
> Gun sales per capita: 29.9 per 1,000 (24th most)
> Total population: 6.2 million (18th largest)
Source: Jacob Boomsma / iStock via Getty Images
Montana
> Gun sales this year: 46,870 (12th least)
> Gun sales per capita: 42.4 per 1,000 (7th most)
> Total population: 1.1 million (8th smallest)
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Source: Miriam Bade / iStock via Getty Images
Nebraska
> Gun sales this year: 27,279 (8th least)
> Gun sales per capita: 13.9 per 1,000 (8th least)
> Total population: 2.0 million (14th smallest)
Source: f11photo / iStock via Getty Images
Nevada
> Gun sales this year: 52,555 (13th least)
> Gun sales per capita: 16.7 per 1,000 (9th least)
> Total population: 3.1 million (19th smallest)
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
New Hampshire
> Gun sales this year: 45,022 (11th least)
> Gun sales per capita: 32.4 per 1,000 (18th most)
> Total population: 1.4 million (10th smallest)
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Source: SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images
New Jersey
> Gun sales this year: 56,639 (14th least)
> Gun sales per capita: 6.1 per 1,000 (2nd least)
> Total population: 9.3 million (11th largest)
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
New Mexico
> Gun sales this year: 59,496 (15th least)
> Gun sales per capita: 28.1 per 1,000 (25th most)
> Total population: 2.1 million (15th smallest)
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Source: Eloi_Omella / iStock via Getty Images
New York
> Gun sales this year: 141,884 (23rd most)
> Gun sales per capita: 7.2 per 1,000 (3rd least)
> Total population: 19.8 million (4th largest)
Source: Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images
North Carolina
> Gun sales this year: 221,364 (16th most)
> Gun sales per capita: 21.0 per 1,000 (14th least)
> Total population: 10.6 million (9th largest)
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
North Dakota
> Gun sales this year: 24,580 (6th least)
> Gun sales per capita: 31.7 per 1,000 (20th most)
> Total population: 774,948 (4th smallest)
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Source: Ron and Patty Thomas / iStock via Getty Images
Ohio
> Gun sales this year: 237,088 (14th most)
> Gun sales per capita: 20.1 per 1,000 (12th least)
> Total population: 11.8 million (7th largest)
Source: DenisTangneyJr / E+ via Getty Images
Oklahoma
> Gun sales this year: 123,932 (25th most)
> Gun sales per capita: 31.1 per 1,000 (22nd most)
> Total population: 4.0 million (23rd smallest)
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Source: Morgan Somers / E+ via Getty Images
Oregon
> Gun sales this year: 135,610 (24th most)
> Gun sales per capita: 31.9 per 1,000 (19th most)
> Total population: 4.2 million (24th smallest)
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
Pennsylvania
> Gun sales this year: 425,808 (7th most)
> Gun sales per capita: 32.8 per 1,000 (16th most)
> Total population: 13.0 million (5th largest)
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images
Rhode Island
> Gun sales this year: 10,138 (2nd least)
> Gun sales per capita: 9.3 per 1,000 (4th least)
> Total population: 1.1 million (7th smallest)
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Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
South Carolina
> Gun sales this year: 144,146 (22nd most)
> Gun sales per capita: 27.8 per 1,000 (24th least)
> Total population: 5.2 million (23rd largest)
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
South Dakota
> Gun sales this year: 30,134 (9th least)
> Gun sales per capita: 33.7 per 1,000 (14th most)
> Total population: 895,376 (5th smallest)
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Source: Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images
Tennessee
> Gun sales this year: 291,969 (10th most)
> Gun sales per capita: 41.9 per 1,000 (9th most)
> Total population: 7.0 million (16th largest)
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
Texas
> Gun sales this year: 576,918 (3rd most)
> Gun sales per capita: 19.5 per 1,000 (10th least)
> Total population: 29.5 million (2nd largest)
Source: f11photo / iStock via Getty Images
Utah
> Gun sales this year: 335,912 (8th most)
> Gun sales per capita: 100.6 per 1,000 (3rd most)
> Total population: 3.3 million (21st smallest)
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Source: DenisTangneyJr / E+ via Getty Images
Vermont
> Gun sales this year: 15,733 (3rd least)
> Gun sales per capita: 24.4 per 1,000 (18th least)
> Total population: 645,570 (2nd smallest)
Source: Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images
Virginia
> Gun sales this year: 191,210 (18th most)
> Gun sales per capita: 22.1 per 1,000 (15th least)
> Total population: 8.6 million (12th largest)
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Source: roman_slavik / iStock via Getty Images
Washington
> Gun sales this year: 255,161 (13th most)
> Gun sales per capita: 33.0 per 1,000 (15th most)
> Total population: 7.7 million (13th largest)
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
West Virginia
> Gun sales this year: 64,999 (16th least)
> Gun sales per capita: 36.5 per 1,000 (12th most)
> Total population: 1.8 million (12th smallest)
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
Wisconsin
> Gun sales this year: 225,804 (15th most)
> Gun sales per capita: 38.3 per 1,000 (11th most)
> Total population: 5.9 million (20th largest)
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Source: Brian Evans / iStock via Getty Images
Wyoming
> Gun sales this year: 23,409 (5th least)
> Gun sales per capita: 40.4 per 1,000 (10th most)
> Total population: 578,803 (the smallest)
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