What is the best state to own a gun?
Asked by: Catalina Yost | Last update: July 29, 2025Score: 4.3/5 (4 votes)
- #8 Texas. ...
- #7 Oklahoma. ...
- #6 Missouri. ...
- #5 Mississippi. ...
- #4 Montana. ...
- #3 Arkansas. ...
- #2 West Virginia. ...
- #1 New Hampshire. New Hampshire is a Constitutional Carry state with incredibly relaxed gun laws and low crime rates.
In what state is it hardest to buy a gun?
- Hawaii is the #1 worst state for gun owners due to strict purchasing and carry laws, as well as defying the Supreme Court on the individual's right to carry.
- California is the #2 worst state for gun owners due to its permit-to-purchase and reciprocity laws.
What is the least gun-friendly state?
Mississippi has the weakest gun laws in the country and the highest gun death rate.
What state is ranked by most guns?
- Texas: 1,347,589.
- Florida: 1,316,471.
- California: 1,043,421.
- Pennsylvania: 841,523.
- Tennessee: 633,015.
- Ohio: 583,314.
- Virginia: 581,698.
- Michigan: 555,650.
What state has the highest gun restrictions?
The 10 states with the strongest gun laws, in ranking order, were California, New Jersey, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maryland and Colorado. The states with the least stringent gun laws were Wyoming, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Idaho, Montana, Mississippi, South Dakota, Kansas and Arizona.
Top 5 Best States For 2A Rights
What state has the lowest gun violence?
As of 2025, Mississippi was the state with the highest gun violence rate per 100,000 residents in the United States, at 29.4 percent, followed by Louisiana, at 28.1 percent. In comparison, Massachusetts had a gun violence rate of 3.7 percent, the lowest out of all the states.
Which states don't allow guns?
Forty-four states have a provision in their state constitutions similar to the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which protects the right to keep and bear arms. The exceptions are California, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, and New York.
What state has the most illegal guns?
In 2021, Arizona was the state with the highest number of trafficked guns recovered in a crime in the United States, with 3,575 trafficked guns recovered. Georgia, Texas, Indiana, and South Carolina rounded out the top five in that year.
How many guns does the average gun owner own?
The average American owns between one and five firearms. Men are more likely than women to own more than one, and those with only one firearm typically have a handgun or pistol. 62% of gun owners with only one firearm have a handgun. 66% of gun owners have more than one firearm.
What state sells the most guns?
- Texas: 1,347,589.
- Florida: 1,316,471.
- California: 1,043,421.
- Pennsylvania: 841,523.
- Tennessee: 633,015.
- Ohio: 583,314.
- Virginia: 581,698.
- Michigan: 555,650.
What state is best for gun owners?
- #8 Texas. ...
- #7 Oklahoma. ...
- #6 Missouri. ...
- #5 Mississippi. ...
- #4 Montana. ...
- #3 Arkansas. ...
- #2 West Virginia. ...
- #1 New Hampshire. New Hampshire is a Constitutional Carry state with incredibly relaxed gun laws and low crime rates.
What cities have the most gun violence?
- St. Louis, Mo. 76.4 deaths per 100k. St. Louis, Mo. 76.4 deaths per 100k.
- Birmingham, Ala. 74.3. Birmingham, Ala. 74.3.
- St. Louis, Mo. 76.4. St. Louis, Mo. 76.4.
What is the strictest gun law in the world?
Singapore is probably the strictest country in the world when it comes to gun laws. It's still possible to own a gun but it takes a lot of work. To own a gun you need to belong to a gun club. You will also be required to leave your gun at the club for storage.
What state has the weakest gun laws?
Gun Laws in Mississippi. Mississippi has among the weakest gun laws in the country. The state has none of the foundational gun laws in place, and only a few policies total—having most recently repealed the requirement to get a permit before carrying a concealed handgun in public.
What state has the strictest laws?
With 395,608 regulatory restrictions, California is the most heavily regulated state in the nation, according to the report. On average, states have 135,000 regulatory restrictions in administrative rules, with California's regulations more than doubling the national average.
What state requires you to own a gun?
There is no state that requires anyone to purchase a firearm. The town of Kennesaw, Georgia passed an ordinance requiring the head of each household to own a firearm, but it was never actually intended to be enforced. It just puts an extra layer of protection against anyone trying to pass firearm restrictions.
How many guns make you a collector?
Some recreational users and hunters only have 1–3. Id venture to say very few people in the category of collector have less than ten, its probably over 20 for most people who consider themselves a collector and more than you'd think have over 100 guns, some of these were most likely passed down between generations.
Does the government know how many guns I own?
In the US yes and no, When you buy a gun from a licensed dealer they are required to keep a paper record of the sale, and if police or the government want to look through them they have that right. However there is no federal database or registry of firearms owners, this is in fact forbidden by federa…
What state has the loosest gun laws?
The state with the most lenient gun laws is Mississippi, with gun legislation that only covers three out of the 50 gun safety policies the states were compared on.
What caliber kills the most in the US?
The 9mm caliber is used in more fatal and non-fatal shootings than any other caliber, according to recent studies. Handguns are involved in 46% of all homicides in the United States. Larger caliber bullets, though used less frequently, result in more fatalities per shot.
What state has the least guns?
Percentage of Gun Ownership by State
New Jersey has the lowest percentage of gun owners (only 8.9% of residents own a firearm). Over 36% of the U.S. population at the state level reports owning a gun. However, national surveys indicate that only 40% of the population owns guns.
What state is most gun-friendly?
- Arizona. A little over 46% of Arizona households own at least one firearm. ...
- Idaho. With household gun ownership of over 60% and laws that are very favorable to gun owners, Idaho is another state that is a good home for those who own firearms.
- Texas. ...
- Arkansas. ...
- New Hampshire.
What state is open carry?
Five states (and the District of Columbia) prohibit people from openly carrying guns in public: Illinois, New York, South Carolina, Florida, and California. There are other states that restrict handguns in public, including Alabama, Washington, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
In what country are guns banned?
The countries that ban guns are Brunei, Cambodia, Comoros, East Timor, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Nauru, North Korea, Palau, Solomon Islands, Somalia, and Vatican City.