16 States Where Gun Sales Are Still Skyrocketing

Special Report

May 8, 2023 9:34 am

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11. Iowa
> Change in background checks, Apr 2022-Apr 2023: +6.7% (+685 — 11th largest increase)
> Firearm background checks, Apr 2023: 10,843 — 7th fewest
> Firearm background checks, Apr 2022: 10,158 — 11th fewest
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Apr 2023: 3.4 — 7th fewest
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Apr 2022: 3.2 — 8th fewest
> Most common type of firearm check, Apr 2023: Long guns
> 2022 population: 3,200,517 — 20th smallest

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10. Colorado
> Change in background checks, Apr 2022-Apr 2023: +8.1% (+3,536 — 7th largest increase)
> Firearm background checks, Apr 2023: 47,276 — 11th most
> Firearm background checks, Apr 2022: 43,740 — 16th most
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Apr 2023: 8.1 — 11th most
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Apr 2022: 7.5 — 17th most
> Most common type of firearm check, Apr 2023: Handguns
> 2022 population: 5,839,926 — 21st largest

ALSO READ: Where Criminals in Each State Are Most Likely to Get Guns

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9. Utah
> Change in background checks, Apr 2022-Apr 2023: +8.8% (+2,048 — 8th largest increase)
> Firearm background checks, Apr 2023: 25,391 — 15th most
> Firearm background checks, Apr 2022: 23,343 — 25th most
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Apr 2023: 7.5 — 15th most
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Apr 2022: 6.9 — 18th most
> Most common type of firearm check, Apr 2023: Handguns
> 2022 population: 3,380,800 — 21st smallest

Buy a Gun at Walmart, Pahrump,... by Pom'

Buy a Gun at Walmart, Pahrump,... (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Pom'

8. Nevada
> Change in background checks, Apr 2022-Apr 2023: +14.0% (+1,602 — 10th largest increase)
> Firearm background checks, Apr 2023: 13,025 — 11th fewest
> Firearm background checks, Apr 2022: 11,423 — 12th fewest
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Apr 2023: 4.1 — 11th fewest
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Apr 2022: 3.6 — 10th fewest
> Most common type of firearm check, Apr 2023: Handguns
> 2022 population: 3,177,772 — 19th smallest

Source: Scott Olson / Getty Images News via Getty Images

7. Illinois
> Change in background checks, Apr 2022-Apr 2023: +26.8% (+16,174 — 4th largest increase)
> Firearm background checks, Apr 2023: 76,572 — 22nd most
> Firearm background checks, Apr 2022: 60,398 — 8th most
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Apr 2023: 6.1 — 22nd most
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Apr 2022: 4.8 — 16th fewest
> Most common type of firearm check, Apr 2023: Handguns
> 2022 population: 12,582,032 — 6th largest

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