In 1996 the U.S. firearms death rate was 12.94 per 100,000. Twenty-seven states were at or above this national average rate. Louisiana ranked as the state with the highest firearms death rate (25.37 per 100,000)—nearly twice the national average. Louisiana was followed by Nevada (22.38 per 100,000), Alaska (21.21 per 100,000), Mississippi (20.90 per 100,000), and Alabama (20.05 per 100,000). Louisiana also ranked first for its rate of firearms homicide (15.68 per 100,000). Alaska ranked first for firearms suicide (14.89 per 100,000), and Tennessee ranked highest in the nation for its rate of unintentional firearms death (1.63 per 100,000).

The following charts illustrate the numbers and rates of firearm deaths by state for 1996. Data on each state are broken out by type of firearms death and include: firearm homicides, firearm suicides, unintentional firearm deaths, and firearm deaths of undetermined intent. The first chart provides this data for each state in alphabetical order, while the remaining charts rank the states by rate.

The National Center for Health Statistics Mortality Data Tapes provided the number of firearm deaths by type. Demo-Detail postcensal estimates were used for population numbers. Rankings were compiled by the Violence Policy Center.

Number of Firearm Deaths and Firearm Death Rates by State, 1996

State	Firearm Homicides	Rate per 100,000	Firearm Suicides	Rate per 100,000	Firearm Unintentional Deaths	Rate per 100,000	Firearm Deaths of Undetermined Intent	Rate per 100,000	Total Firearm Deaths	Rate per 100,000
Alabama	384	9.62	400	8.47	62	1.39	24	0.57	870	20.05
Alaska	29	4.70	85	14.89	9	1.62	-	-	123	21.21
Arizona	313	7.80	491	10.26	17	0.40	12	0.30	833	18.76
Arkansas	164	6.97	237	8.93	22	0.91	7	0.31	430	17.13
California	2,202	7.72	1,710	4.96	142	0.52	34	0.10	4,088	13.29
Colorado	118	3.37	396	9.56	17	0.49	5	0.14	536	13.56
Connecticut	122	4.61	120	3.48	5	0.17	-	-	247	8.26
Delaware	31	4.29	54	6.63	-	-	-	-	85	10.92
District of Columbia	251	57.52	11	2.05	1	0.25	4	1.04	267	60.86
Florida	770	6.30	1,253	7.46	31	0.27	20	0.16	2,074	14.19
Georgia	533	7.61	644	8.27	47	0.71	25	0.35	1,249	16.94
Hawaii	20	1.81	27	2.12	-	-	1	0.07	48	4.00
Idaho	34	2.83	124	9.61	6	0.51	2	0.19	166	13.15
Illinois	894	8.90	489	3.71	24	0.23	11	0.10	1,418	12.94
Indiana	291	5.47	477	7.50	23	0.41	14	0.27	805	13.65
Iowa	42	1.63	175	5.53	6	0.19	2	0.07	225	7.42
Kansas	102	4.45	205	7.22	16	0.73	3	0.12	326	12.53
Kentucky	154	4.06	345	7.88	40	1.01	4	0.09	543	13.04
Louisiana	621	15.68	388	8.67	37	0.88	6	0.14	1,052	25.37
Maine	14	1.17	108	7.10	1	0.11	-	-	123	8.37
Maryland	445	10.39	269	4.82	12	0.26	38	0.76	764	16.22
Massachusetts	93	1.89	137	2.02	3	0.06	1	0.03	234	3.99
Michigan	573	6.65	633	6.08	25	0.31	10	0.12	1,241	13.16
Minnesota	97	2.27	261	5.41	13	0.28	6	0.13	377	8.09
Mississippi	264	10.24	246	8.80	39	1.48	12	0.39	561	20.90
Missouri	321	6.66	492	8.27	26	0.50	19	0.34	858	15.76
Montana	25	2.95	124	13.05	5	0.64	2	0.31	156	16.95
Nebraska	34	2.36	115	6.76	8	0.52	3	0.19	160	9.82
Nevada	128	9.00	222	12.80	7	0.48	2	0.10	359	22.38
New Hampshire	13	1.01	83	6.92	1	0.09	-	-	97	8.01
New Jersey	210	3.33	170	1.95	10	0.15	5	0.06	395	5.49
New Mexico	114	7.31	200	11.24	8	0.48	2	0.14	324	19.16
New York	892	5.64	488	2.55	38	0.22	10	0.06	1,428	8.48
North Carolina	455	6.67	666	8.34	48	0.71	7	0.10	1,176	15.82
North Dakota	8	1.30	45	6.77	2	0.32	-	-	55	8.39
Ohio	329	3.30	606	4.90	62	0.56	11	0.11	1,008	8.88
Oklahoma	174	5.80	323	9.09	19	0.59	5	0.16	521	15.64
Oregon	83	2.82	324	9.04	16	0.62	4	0.13	427	12.61
Pennsylvania	517	5.08	776	5.93	25	0.22	13	0.13	1,331	11.36
Rhode Island	15	1.84	36	3.04	1	0.09	-	-	52	4.97
South Carolina	255	7.23	348	8.70	17	0.53	10	0.29	630	16.75
South Dakota	4	0.56	74	9.52	4	0.68	1	0.12	83	10.88
Tennessee	371	7.56	498	8.56	83	1.63	11	0.19	963	17.94
Texas	1,055	5.83	1,449	7.18	78	0.44	34	0.19	2,616	13.64
Utah	38	1.95	171	8.64	-	-	4	0.19	213	10.78
Vermont	5	0.89	45	7.17	5	0.91	1	0.20	56	9.17
Virginia	364	5.71	562	7.67	35	0.59	9	0.15	970	14.12
Washington	146	2.89	455	7.41	8	0.16	7	0.13	616	10.60
West Virginia	55	3.17	203	9.56	11	0.67	7	0.40	276	13.79
Wisconsin	142	3.14	340	6.20	15	0.32	3	0.06	500	9.72
Wyoming	13	2.81	66	12.11	4	0.94	2	0.53	85	16.39
Total U.S.	14,327	6.02	18,166	6.29	1,134	0.47	413	0.16	34,040	12.94

Total Number of Firearm Deaths and Death Rates, Ranked by Rate, 1996

Rank by Rate per 100,000	State	Total Number of Firearm Deaths	Rate of Firearm Deaths per 100,000
1	Louisiana	1,052	25.37
2	Nevada	359	22.38
3	Alaska	123	21.21
4	Mississippi	561	20.90
5	Alabama	870	20.05
6	New Mexico	324	19.16
7	Arizona	833	18.76
8	Tennessee	963	17.94
9	Arkansas	430	17.13
10	Montana	156	16.95
11	Georgia	1,249	16.94
12	South Carolina	630	16.75
13	Wyoming	85	16.39
14	Maryland	764	16.22
15	North Carolina	1,176	15.82
16	Missouri	858	15.76
17	Oklahoma	521	15.64
18	Florida	2,074	14.19
19	Virginia	970	14.12
20	West Virginia	276	13.79
21	Indiana	805	13.65
22	Texas	2,616	13.64
23	Colorado	536	13.56
24	California	4,088	13.29
25	Michigan	1,241	13.16
26	Idaho	166	13.15
27	Kentucky	543	13.04
28	Illinois	1,418	12.94
29	Oregon	427	12.61
30	Kansas	326	12.53
31	Pennsylvania	1,331	11.36
32	Delaware	85	10.92
33	South Dakota	83	10.88
34	Utah	213	10.78
35	Washington	616	10.60
36	Nebraska	160	9.82
37	Wisconsin	500	9.72
38	Vermont	56	9.17
39	Ohio	1,008	8.88
40	New York	1,428	8.48
41	North Dakota	55	8.39
42	Maine	123	8.37
43	Connecticut	247	8.26
44	Minnesota	377	8.09
45	New Hampshire	97	8.01
46	Iowa	225	7.42
47	New Jersey	395	5.49
48	Rhode Island	52	4.97
49	Hawaii	48	4.00
50	Massachusetts	234	3.99
.	Total U.S.	34,040	12.94

Number of Firearm Homicides and Firearm Homicide Rates, Ranked by Rate, 1996

Rank by Rate per 100,000	State	Number of Firearm Homicides	Rate of Firearm Homicides per 100,000
1	Louisiana	621	15.68
2	Maryland	445	10.39
3	Mississippi	264	10.24
4	Alabama	384	9.62
5	Nevada	128	9.00
6	Illinois	894	8.90
7	Arizona	313	7.80
8	California	2,202	7.72
9	Georgia	533	7.61
10	Tennessee	371	7.56
11	New Mexico	114	7.31
12	South Carolina	255	7.23
13	Arkansas	164	6.97
14	North Carolina	455	6.67
15	Missouri	321	6.66
16	Michigan	573	6.65
17	Florida	770	6.30
18	Texas	1,055	5.83
19	Oklahoma	174	5.80
20	Virginia	364	5.71
21	New York	892	5.64
22	Indiana	291	5.47
23	Pennsylvania	517	5.08
24	Alaska	29	4.70
25	Connecticut	122	4.61
26	Kansas	102	4.45
27	Delaware	31	4.29
28	Kentucky	154	4.06
29	Colorado	118	3.37
30	New Jersey	210	3.33
31	Ohio	329	3.30
32	West Virginia	55	3.17
33	Wisconsin	142	3.14
34	Montana	25	2.95
35	Washington	146	2.89
36	Idaho	34	2.83
37	Oregon	83	2.82
38	Wyoming	13	2.81
39	Nebraska	34	2.36
40	Minnesota	97	2.27
41	Utah	38	1.95
42	Massachusetts	93	1.89
43	Rhode Island	15	1.84
44	Hawaii	20	1.81
45	Iowa	42	1.63
46	North Dakota	8	1.30
47	Maine	14	1.17
48	New Hampshire	13	1.01
49	Vermont	5	0.89
50	South Dakota	4	0.56
.	Total U.S.	14,327	6.02

Number of Firearm Suicides and Firearm Suicide Rates, Ranked by Rate, 1996

Rank by Rate per 100,000	State	Number of Firearm Suicides	Rate of Firearm Suicides per 100,000
1	Alaska	85	14.89
2	Montana	124	13.05
3	Nevada	222	12.80
4	Wyoming	66	12.11
5	New Mexico	200	11.24
6	Arizona	491	10.26
7	Idaho	124	9.61
8	Colorado	396	9.56
8	West Virginia	203	9.56
10	South Dakota	74	9.52
11	Oklahoma	323	9.09
12	Oregon	324	9.04
13	Arkansas	237	8.93
14	Mississippi	246	8.80
15	South Carolina	348	8.70
16	Louisiana	388	8.67
17	Utah	171	8.64
18	Tennessee	498	8.56
19	Alabama	400	8.47
20	North Carolina	666	8.34
21	Georgia	644	8.27
21	Missouri	492	8.27
23	Kentucky	345	7.88
24	Virginia	562	7.67
25	Indiana	477	7.50
26	Florida	1,253	7.46
27	Washington	455	7.41
28	Kansas	205	7.22
29	Texas	1,449	7.18
30	Vermont	45	7.17
31	Maine	108	7.10
32	New Hampshire	83	6.92
33	North Dakota	45	6.77
34	Nebraska	115	6.76
35	Delaware	54	6.63
36	Wisconsin	340	6.20
37	Michigan	633	6.08
38	Pennsylvania	776	5.93
39	Iowa	175	5.53
40	Minnesota	261	5.41
41	California	1,710	4.96
42	Ohio	606	4.90
43	Maryland	269	4.82
44	Illinois	489	3.71
45	Connecticut	120	3.48
46	Rhode Island	36	3.04
47	New York	488	2.55
48	Hawaii	27	2.12
49	Massachusetts	137	2.02
50	New Jersey	170	1.95
.	Total U.S.	18,166	6.29

Number of Firearm Unintentional Deaths and Firearm Unintentional Rates, Ranked by Rate, 1996

Rank by Rate per 100,000	State	Number of Firearm Unintentional Deaths	Rate of Firearm Unintentional Deaths per 100,000
1	Tennessee	83	1.63
2	Alaska	9	1.62
3	Mississippi	39	1.48
4	Alabama	62	1.39
5	Kentucky	40	1.01
6	Wyoming	4	0.94
7	Arkansas	22	0.91
7	Vermont	5	0.91
9	Louisiana	37	0.88
10	Kansas	16	0.73
11	Georgia	47	0.71
11	North Carolina	48	0.71
13	South Dakota	4	0.68
14	West Virginia	11	0.67
15	Montana	5	0.64
16	Oregon	16	0.62
17	Oklahoma	19	0.59
17	Virginia	35	0.59
19	Ohio	62	0.56
20	South Carolina	17	0.53
21	California	142	0.52
21	Nebraska	8	0.52
23	Idaho	6	0.51
24	Missouri	26	0.50
25	Colorado	17	0.49
26	Nevada	7	0.48
26	New Mexico	8	0.48
28	Texas	78	0.44
29	Indiana	23	0.41
30	Arizona	17	0.40
31	North Dakota	2	0.32
31	Wisconsin	15	0.32
33	Michigan	25	0.31
34	Minnesota	13	0.28
35	Florida	31	0.27
36	Maryland	12	0.26
37	Illinois	24	0.23
38	New York	38	0.22
38	Pennsylvania	25	0.22
40	Iowa	6	0.19
41	Connecticut	5	0.17
42	Washington	8	0.16
43	New Jersey	10	0.15
44	Maine	1	0.11
45	New Hampshire	1	0.09
45	Rhode Island	1	0.09
47	Massachusetts	3	0.06
48	Delaware	-	-
48	Hawaii	-	-
48	Utah	-	-
.	Total U.S.	1,134	0.47

Go to next section: Appendix One: Number and Rates of Firearm Mortality—United States, 1965 to 1996

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