Special Report

States Where The Most People Bought Guns Last Month

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20. South Dakota
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Jan 2023: 6.2
> Firearm background checks, Jan 2023: 5,680 — 8th fewest
> Most common type of firearm check: Long guns
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Jan 2022: 6.9 — 10th most
> Firearm background checks, Jan 2022: 6,285 — 9th fewest
> Change in background checks, 2021-2022: -605 (-9.6% — 6th largest decrease)
> 2022 Population: 909,824 — 5th smallest

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19. Missouri
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Jan 2023: 6.3
> Firearm background checks, Jan 2023: 38,808 — 19th most
> Most common type of firearm check: Handguns
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Jan 2022: 5.9 — 17th most
> Firearm background checks, Jan 2022: 36,735 — 17th most
> Change in background checks, 2021-2022: +2,073 (+5.6% — 16th smallest increase)
> 2022 Population: 6,177,957 — 18th largest

18. Oklahoma
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Jan 2023: 6.3
> Firearm background checks, Jan 2023: 25,438 — 24th most
> Most common type of firearm check: Handguns
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Jan 2022: 6.2 — 16th most
> Firearm background checks, Jan 2022: 24,775 — 24th most
> Change in background checks, 2021-2022: +663 (+2.7% — 10th smallest increase)
> 2022 Population: 4,019,800 — 23rd smallest

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17. North Dakota
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Jan 2023: 6.4
> Firearm background checks, Jan 2023: 5,013 — 7th fewest
> Most common type of firearm check: Long guns
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Jan 2022: 6.3 — 15th most
> Firearm background checks, Jan 2022: 4,936 — 7th fewest
> Change in background checks, 2021-2022: +77 (+1.6% — 6th smallest increase)
> 2022 Population: 779,261 — 4th smallest

Source: CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP via Getty Images

16. Mississippi
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Jan 2023: 6.4
> Firearm background checks, Jan 2023: 18,947 — 21st fewest
> Most common type of firearm check: Handguns
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Jan 2022: 5.9 — 18th most
> Firearm background checks, Jan 2022: 17,451 — 23rd fewest
> Change in background checks, 2021-2022: +1,496 (+8.6% — 16th largest increase)
> 2022 Population: 2,940,057 — 17th smallest

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