The FBI began to track gun background checks in the late 1990s and report the statistics every month. While gun background checks are not a one-to-one comparison of gun sales, they serve as a proxy, especially in identifying trends in gun sales.
Gun sales have risen sharply for over more than a decade, ever since background checks surpassed 10 million for the first time in 2006. Sales exploded early in 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, reaching an all-time high of 39,695,315 that year. Concern about how the pandemic might affect violent crime in the U.S. was likely, at least partly, the cause. Civil unrest across much of the country that summer has likely added to concerns.
In the second half of 2021, gun sales began to fall from 2020 levels, but only by a modest amount, to 38,876,673. In 2022, the sales drop was much more dramatic. So far, through the first eight months of 2022, gun background checks by the FBI have hit 20,790,489, down sharply from 27,841,119 in the same period last year. There is not ready explanation for the slowing,
The FBI figures do not compare the U.S. to the rest of the world. They also don’t reveal what guns have done to American society. In the U.S., there are about 400 million guns in circulation, according to the Small Arms Survey, a Swiss-based research project. That means for every 100 people in America, there are about 120 guns, the world’s highest such figure. The comparable number in Finland, for example, is 32 guns per 100 people. (These are the world’s largest gun makers.)
The level of deaths from guns has similarly been increasing in recent years. So far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, 30,623 people have been killed by guns in the U.S. There have been 470 mass shootings in 2022. (These are states where the most murders are committed with a gun.)
Meanwhile, the debate over gun regulations has been so polarized that solutions have been few and hard to come by.
Gun sales vary considerably from state to state and do not always reflect population size. Gun background checks in Kentucky are among the highest in America even though the state is home to less than 2% of the nation’s population. To adjust for population size, a good measure is gun sales per 100,000 people each month.
Using FBI data, 24/7 Wall St. ranked states based on gun background checks in the first eight months of the year per 100,000 people in each state. Population data came from the Census Bureau and are five-year averages for 2020.The difference among states is large. In Hawaii, there were 8.9 gun background checks per 100,000 people in August. At the far end of the spectrum, in Kentucky, there were 600.9 for every 100,000 people that month.
Click here to see states with the most gun purchases per person.
Source: anouchka / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
50. Hawaii
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 8.9 per 1,000 (12,669)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 8.1 per 1,000 (the fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: +1,236 (+10.8% — 2nd largest increase)
> Population: 1,420,074 (11th smallest)
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Source: Spencer Platt / Getty Images News via Getty Images
49. New Jersey
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 12.5 per 1,000 (111,132)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 18.8 per 1,000 (3rd fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -56,109 (-33.5% — 3rd largest decrease)
> Population: 8,885,418 (11th largest)
Source: Marco_Piunti / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
48. New York
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 15.8 per 1,000 (309,056)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 16.0 per 1,000 (2nd fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -4,021 (-1.3% — the smallest decrease)
> Population: 19,514,849 (4th largest)
Source: Portland Press Herald / Portland Press Herald via Getty Images
47. Rhode Island
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 18.2 per 1,000 (19,240)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 26.1 per 1,000 (5th fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -8,347 (-30.3% — 5th largest decrease)
> Population: 1,057,798 (7th smallest)
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Source: SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images
46. Massachusetts
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 22.2 per 1,000 (152,606)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 26.8 per 1,000 (6th fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -31,617 (-17.2% — 21st smallest decrease)
> Population: 6,873,003 (15th largest)
45. California
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 24.2 per 1,000 (951,008)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 25.6 per 1,000 (4th fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -56,243 (-5.6% — 2nd smallest decrease)
> Population: 39,346,023 (the largest)
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44. Nebraska
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 25.5 per 1,000 (49,088)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 32.4 per 1,000 (8th fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -13,241 (-21.2% — 13th largest decrease)
> Population: 1,923,826 (14th smallest)
Source: Anadolu Agency / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
43. Maryland
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 28.3 per 1,000 (171,099)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 31.3 per 1,000 (7th fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -17,967 (-9.5% — 4th smallest decrease)
> Population: 6,037,624 (19th largest)
42. Nevada
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 34.7 per 1,000 (105,061)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 44.1 per 1,000 (9th fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -28,483 (-21.3% — 12th largest decrease)
> Population: 3,030,281 (19th smallest)
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Source: Scott Olson / Getty Images News via Getty Images
41. Georgia
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 36.9 per 1,000 (388,047)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 54.6 per 1,000 (16th fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -186,284 (-32.4% — 4th largest decrease)
> Population: 10,516,579 (8th largest)
40. Ohio
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 37.2 per 1,000 (434,073)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 50.4 per 1,000 (12th fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -154,067 (-26.2% — 6th largest decrease)
> Population: 11,675,275 (7th largest)
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Source: Erich Schlegel / Getty Images News via Getty Images
39. Texas
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 39.5 per 1,000 (1,130,588)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 46.9 per 1,000 (10th fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -211,633 (-15.8% — 14th smallest decrease)
> Population: 28,635,442 (2nd largest)
Source: J. Michael Jones / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
38. North Carolina
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 39.5 per 1,000 (410,573)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 53.0 per 1,000 (15th fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -139,859 (-25.4% — 7th largest decrease)
> Population: 10,386,227 (9th largest)
Source: BeyondImages / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
37. Kansas
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 42.6 per 1,000 (123,997)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 52.8 per 1,000 (14th fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -29,690 (-19.3% — 16th largest decrease)
> Population: 2,912,619 (16th smallest)
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Source: Alex Wong / Getty Images News via Getty Images
36. Virginia
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 43.0 per 1,000 (365,727)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 52.1 per 1,000 (13th fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -77,702 (-17.5% — 24th largest decrease)
> Population: 8,509,358 (12th largest)
Source: Patrick Smith / Getty Images News via Getty Images
35. Delaware
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 43.3 per 1,000 (41,895)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 49.5 per 1,000 (11th fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -5,988 (-12.5% — 7th smallest decrease)
> Population: 967,679 (6th smallest)
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Source: JOE KLAMAR / AFP via Getty Images
34. Connecticut
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 45.6 per 1,000 (162,653)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 55.6 per 1,000 (18th fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -35,751 (-18.0% — 23rd largest decrease)
> Population: 3,570,549 (22nd smallest)
Source: Bim / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
33. Vermont
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 46.3 per 1,000 (28,931)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 56.0 per 1,000 (20th fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -6,059 (-17.3% — 23rd smallestest decrease)
> Population: 624,340 (2nd smallest)
Source: Joe Raedle / Getty Images News via Getty Images
32. Florida
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 46.6 per 1,000 (988,563)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 55.7 per 1,000 (19th fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -192,362 (-16.3% — 17th smallest decrease)
> Population: 21,216,924 (3rd largest)
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Source: Mario Villafuerte / Getty Images News via Getty Images
31. Louisiana
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 47.5 per 1,000 (221,651)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 57.2 per 1,000 (21st fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -45,364 (-17.0% — 20th smallest decrease)
> Population: 4,664,616 (25th largest)
Source: artas / iStock via Getty Images
30. Arkansas
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 49.2 per 1,000 (148,217)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 64.3 per 1,000 (25th fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -45,444 (-23.5% — 9th largest decrease)
> Population: 3,011,873 (18th smallest)
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29. Iowa
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 49.4 per 1,000 (155,708)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 61.0 per 1,000 (22nd fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -36,544 (-19.0% — 19th largest decrease)
> Population: 3,150,011 (20th smallest)
Source: Marc Lecureuil / Getty Images
28. Arizona
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 50.2 per 1,000 (359,807)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 55.5 per 1,000 (17th fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -38,482 (-9.7% — 5th smallest decrease)
> Population: 7,174,064 (14th largest)
Source: Bill Pugliano / Getty Images News via Getty Images
27. Michigan
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 52.6 per 1,000 (524,177)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 67.9 per 1,000 (23rd most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -153,348 (-22.6% — 10th largest decrease)
> Population: 9,973,907 (10th largest)
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Source: VistaVision / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
26. Maine
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 53.4 per 1,000 (71,608)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 62.0 per 1,000 (23rd fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -11,590 (-13.9% — 10th smallest decrease)
> Population: 1,340,825 (9th smallest)
Source: Richard Ellis / Getty Images News via Getty Images
25. South Carolina
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 53.5 per 1,000 (272,536)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 65.9 per 1,000 (24th most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -63,053 (-18.8% — 20th largest decrease)
> Population: 5,091,517 (23rd largest)
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24. New Mexico
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 54.5 per 1,000 (114,354)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 63.9 per 1,000 (24th fewest)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -19,689 (-14.7% — 12th smallest decrease)
> Population: 2,097,021 (15th smallest)
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Source: Scott Olson / Getty Images News via Getty Images
23. Missouri
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 55.6 per 1,000 (340,754)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 70.2 per 1,000 (21st most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -89,344 (-20.8% — 15th largest decrease)
> Population: 6,124,160 (18th largest)
Source: CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP via Getty Images
22. Mississippi
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 59.8 per 1,000 (178,383)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 71.1 per 1,000 (19th most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -33,487 (-15.8% — 15th smallest decrease)
> Population: 2,981,835 (17th smallest)
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21. Oklahoma
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 60.2 per 1,000 (237,786)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 70.2 per 1,000 (22nd most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -39,333 (-14.2% — 11th smallest decrease)
> Population: 3,949,342 (23rd smallest)
Source: mtcurado / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
20. Colorado
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 62.1 per 1,000 (352,754)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 76.1 per 1,000 (16th most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -79,669 (-18.4% — 21st largest decrease)
> Population: 5,684,926 (21st largest)
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19. North Dakota
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 62.2 per 1,000 (47,263)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 70.9 per 1,000 (20th most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -6,667 (-12.4% — 6th smallest decrease)
> Population: 760,394 (4th smallest)
Source: ROB KERR / AFP via Getty Images
18. Oregon
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 62.7 per 1,000 (261,908)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 74.0 per 1,000 (18th most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -47,135 (-15.3% — 13th smallest decrease)
> Population: 4,176,346 (24th smallest)
Source: picture alliance / picture alliance via Getty Images
17. South Dakota
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 62.7 per 1,000 (55,166)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 80.9 per 1,000 (14th most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -15,991 (-22.5% — 11th largest decrease)
> Population: 879,336 (5th smallest)
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16. Pennsylvania
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 63.3 per 1,000 (810,491)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 75.6 per 1,000 (17th most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -156,459 (-16.2% — 16th smallest decrease)
> Population: 12,794,885 (5th largest)
Source: DOMINICK REUTER / AFP via Getty Images
15. New Hampshire
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 64.4 per 1,000 (87,272)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 77.9 per 1,000 (15th most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -18,241 (-17.3% — 22nd smallest decrease)
> Population: 1,355,244 (10th smallest)
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Source: jfbenning / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
14. West Virginia
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 66.7 per 1,000 (120,525)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 82.4 per 1,000 (13th most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -28,378 (-19.1% — 18th largest decrease)
> Population: 1,807,426 (13th smallest)
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Source: Francis Dean / Getty Images
13. Washington
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 67.4 per 1,000 (506,674)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 65.5 per 1,000 (25th most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: +14,807 (+3.0% — 3rd largest increase)
> Population: 7,512,465 (13th largest)
12. Wisconsin
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 70.9 per 1,000 (411,574)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 89.5 per 1,000 (11th most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -108,071 (-20.8% — 14th largest decrease)
> Population: 5,806,975 (20th largest)
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Source: specnaz-s / iStock via Getty Images
11. Alaska
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 73.0 per 1,000 (53,791)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 84.3 per 1,000 (12th most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -8,342 (-13.4% — 8th smallest decrease)
> Population: 736,990 (3rd smallest)
Source: Thinkstock / Stockbyte via Getty Images
10. Wyoming
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 78.8 per 1,000 (45,810)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 97.7 per 1,000 (9th most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -10,968 (-19.3% — 17th largest decrease)
> Population: 581,348 (the smallest)
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Source: krblokhin / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
9. Tennessee
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 81.1 per 1,000 (548,996)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 97.3 per 1,000 (10th most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -110,173 (-16.7% — 19th smallest decrease)
> Population: 6,772,268 (16th largest)
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8. Montana
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 86.9 per 1,000 (92,277)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 100.5 per 1,000 (8th most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -14,434 (-13.5% — 9th smallest decrease)
> Population: 1,061,705 (8th smallest)
Source: Karl Weatherly / Photodisc via Getty Images
7. Idaho
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 89.2 per 1,000 (156,533)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 106.6 per 1,000 (7th most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -30,487 (-16.3% — 18th smallest decrease)
> Population: 1,754,367 (12th smallest)
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Source: porkypig / Flickr
6. Alabama
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 99.5 per 1,000 (486,952)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 132.3 per 1,000 (5th most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -160,571 (-24.8% — 8th largest decrease)
> Population: 4,893,186 (24th largest)
Source: skhoward / iStock via Getty Images
5. Minnesota
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 106.8 per 1,000 (598,080)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 115.1 per 1,000 (6th most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -46,367 (-7.2% — 3rd smallest decrease)
> Population: 5,600,166 (22nd largest)
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Source: Roberto Galan / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
4. Indiana
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 117.9 per 1,000 (789,792)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 203.5 per 1,000 (4th most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -573,335 (-42.1% — 2nd largest decrease)
> Population: 6,696,893 (17th largest)
Source: GEORGE FREY / AFP via Getty Images
3. Utah
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 215.2 per 1,000 (678,238)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 263.3 per 1,000 (3rd most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -151,386 (-18.2% — 22nd largest decrease)
> Population: 3,151,239 (21st smallest)
Source: Scott Olson / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2. Illinois
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 218.0 per 1,000 (2,771,745)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 561.0 per 1,000 (the most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: -4,362,300 (-61.1% — the largest decrease)
> Population: 12,716,164 (6th largest)
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Source: Scott Olson / Getty Images News via Getty Images
1. Kentucky
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2022: 600.9 per 1,000 (2,681,024)
> Firearm background checks Jan.-Aug. 2021: 528.8 per 1,000 (2nd most)
> Change in background checks, first eight months year-to-date: +321,366 (+13.6% — the largest increase)
> Population: 4,461,952 (25th smallest)
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