America is, without question, the gun capital of the world. By one estimate, the total number of guns in circulation nationwide has reached 400 million, which is over one for every person in the nation. America also has among the highest gun violence in the world. According to the Gun Violence Archive, 38,062 Americans have been killed by guns in 2022. (Here are the states where the most murders are committed with a gun.)
In a typical month, firearm background checks, a proxy for gun sales, top 2 million nationwide, though notably, gun sales vary widely from state to state. So despite a downward trajectory in gun sales, they have recently started rising again in several states.Â
The first full year the FBI had reported gun background checks was 1999, when the figure was 9,138,123. The figure topped 10 million in 2006, and 20 million in 2013. It has risen most years since then.
In 2020, gun background checks surged to 39,695,315. The increase started in March, during the first surge in COVID-19 infections, and remained high through the end of the year. There is no definitive cause. One theory is that as the COVID-19 pandemic began, people were worried about their safety. Another is that the social unrest toward the end of that year created similar anxiety among many Americans.
In 2021, background checks dropped very slightly to 38,876,673. This year, they will be nearly 30 million.
There are several ways to measure state gun sales, by raw numbers, per capita figures, or monthly or annual changes in background checks. While looking at one month’s change provides a snapshot, comparisons of changes over time can give an idea of the prevailing trends in a state.
To determine which states are running against the national tide of falling gun sales, 24/7 Wall St. looked at states where background checks increased in each month of the last three months. This allowed us to consider a trend, and not just a snapshot. We found that in 10 states background checks were higher in October than they were in July. Still, in all but one state, gun sales so far this year remain lower than in the same period last year. (Also see,h house representatives who do the most to help the American gun industry.)Â
Using data from the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System, 24/7 Wall St. listed all 10 states that reported monthly increases in firearm background checks in August, September, and October of 2022. States are ranked in order of the percentage increase in background checks between July and October of this year. Population figures are one-year estimates from the Census Bureau’s 2021 American Community Survey.Â
Click here to see 10 states where 2022 gun sales are rebounding.
Source: Scott Olson / Getty Images News via Getty Images
10. Missouri
> Change in background checks July 2022-Oct 2022: +6.4% (+2,519)
> Firearm background checks, Oct 2022: 41,961 (19th most)
> Firearm background checks, July 2022: 39,442 (21st most)
> Change in background checks Jan-Oct 2021 to Jan-Oct 2022: -10.7% — 16th largest decrease (-50,503)
> Firearm background checks, Jan-Oct 2022: 422,677 (21st most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan-Oct 2021: 473,180 (20th most)
> 2021 population: 6,168,187 (18th largest)
[in-text-ad]
Source: Scott Olson / Getty Images News via Getty Images
9. Georgia
> Change in background checks July 2022-Oct 2022: +12.9% (+5,381)
> Firearm background checks, Oct 2022: 47,077 (15th most)
> Firearm background checks, July 2022: 41,696 (19th most)
> Change in background checks Jan-Oct 2021 to Jan-Oct 2022: -23.3% — 3rd largest decrease (-145,873)
> Firearm background checks, Jan-Oct 2022: 481,255 (17th most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan-Oct 2021: 627,128 (14th most)
> 2021 population: 10,799,566 (8th largest)
Source: jfbenning / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
8. West Virginia
> Change in background checks July 2022-Oct 2022: +16.1% (+2,209)
> Firearm background checks, Oct 2022: 15,952 (18th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, July 2022: 13,743 (16th fewest)
> Change in background checks Jan-Oct 2021 to Jan-Oct 2022: -7.9% — 20th smallest decrease (-12,977)
> Firearm background checks, Jan-Oct 2022: 150,960 (16th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan-Oct 2021: 163,937 (15th fewest)
> 2021 population: 1,782,959 (12th smallest)
Source: Ethan Miller / Getty Images News via Getty Images
7. Montana
> Change in background checks July 2022-Oct 2022: +17.7% (+1,872)
> Firearm background checks, Oct 2022: 12,440 (13th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, July 2022: 10,568 (12th fewest)
> Change in background checks Jan-Oct 2021 to Jan-Oct 2022: -1.9% — 3rd smallest decrease (-2,300)
> Firearm background checks, Jan-Oct 2022: 116,861 (12th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan-Oct 2021: 119,161 (12th fewest)
> 2021 population: 1,104,271 (8th smallest)
[in-text-ad-2]
6. Arkansas
> Change in background checks July 2022-Oct 2022: +19.1% (+3,124)
> Firearm background checks, Oct 2022: 19,519 (22nd fewest)
> Firearm background checks, July 2022: 16,395 (19th fewest)
> Change in background checks Jan-Oct 2021 to Jan-Oct 2022: -12.9% — 11th largest decrease (-27,534)
> Firearm background checks, Jan-Oct 2022: 186,663 (19th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan-Oct 2021: 214,197 (22nd fewest)
> 2021 population: 3,025,891 (18th smallest)
5. Wisconsin
> Change in background checks July 2022-Oct 2022: +21.7% (+9,956)
> Firearm background checks, Oct 2022: 55,872 (12th most)
> Firearm background checks, July 2022: 45,916 (15th most)
> Change in background checks Jan-Oct 2021 to Jan-Oct 2022: -11.1% — 14th largest decrease (-65,120)
> Firearm background checks, Jan-Oct 2022: 519,837 (15th most)
> Firearm background checks, Jan-Oct 2021: 584,957 (16th most)
> 2021 population: 5,895,908 (20th largest)
[in-text-ad]
Source: VistaVision / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
4. Maine
> Change in background checks July 2022-Oct 2022: +26.0% (+2,269)
> Firearm background checks, Oct 2022: 10,988 (12th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, July 2022: 8,719 (10th fewest)
> Change in background checks Jan-Oct 2021 to Jan-Oct 2022: -1.9% — 2nd smallest decrease (-1,787)
> Firearm background checks, Jan-Oct 2022: 92,884 (10th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan-Oct 2021: 94,671 (10th fewest)
> 2021 population: 1,372,247 (9th smallest)
Source: Mike Kemp / In Pictures via Getty Images
3. North Dakota
> Change in background checks July 2022-Oct 2022: +30.0% (+1,687)
> Firearm background checks, Oct 2022: 7,304 (7th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, July 2022: 5,617 (7th fewest)
> Change in background checks Jan-Oct 2021 to Jan-Oct 2022: +0.6% — 9th largest increase (+375)
> Firearm background checks, Jan-Oct 2022: 60,737 (7th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan-Oct 2021: 60,362 (5th fewest)
> 2021 population: 774,948 (4th smallest)
Source: picture alliance / picture alliance via Getty Images
2. South Dakota
> Change in background checks July 2022-Oct 2022: +40.1% (+2,501)
> Firearm background checks, Oct 2022: 8,737 (9th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, July 2022: 6,236 (8th fewest)
> Change in background checks Jan-Oct 2021 to Jan-Oct 2022: -10.0% — 17th largest decrease (-7,885)
> Firearm background checks, Jan-Oct 2022: 71,196 (9th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan-Oct 2021: 79,081 (9th fewest)
> 2021 population: 895,376 (5th smallest)
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: Anadolu Agency / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
1. Maryland
> Change in background checks July 2022-Oct 2022: +67.1% (+14,520)
> Firearm background checks, Oct 2022: 36,145 (22nd most)
> Firearm background checks, July 2022: 21,625 (24th fewest)
> Change in background checks Jan-Oct 2021 to Jan-Oct 2022: +17.2% — 3rd largest increase (+35,567)
> Firearm background checks, Jan-Oct 2022: 242,526 (24th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Jan-Oct 2021: 206,959 (20th fewest)
> 2021 population: 6,165,129 (19th largest)
Sponsored: Want to Retire Early? Here’s a Great First Step
Want retirement to come a few years earlier than you’d planned? Or are you ready to retire now, but want an extra set of eyes on your finances?
Now you can speak with up to 3 financial experts in your area for FREE. By simply clicking here you can begin to match with financial professionals who can help you build your plan to retire early. And the best part? The first conversation with them is free.
Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you make financial decisions.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Editors' Picks
