Every hour in America, about five lives are extinguished by a gun, a chilling rhythm punctuated by the staggering fact that 2021 saw 48,830 total firearm deaths, a 23% surge in just two years.
Key Takeaways
- In 2021, the United States recorded 48,830 total firearm deaths, marking a 23% increase from 2019
- Firearm deaths in the US reached 48,204 in 2022, the highest on record
- From 2019 to 2020, US firearm deaths surged by 43% among children and teens aged 1-17, totaling 2,590 deaths
- In 2020, 19,384 people were murdered with guns in the US
- Firearm homicides rose 45% from 2019 to 2021, totaling 20,958 in 2021
- In 2022, 21,156 firearm homicides occurred in the US
- Firearm suicides totaled 26,328 in 2021
- Firearms account for 55% of US suicides, with 24,292 in 2020
- Gun suicide rate 2021: 7.4 per 100k nationally
- Accidental firearm deaths totaled 548 in 2021 US
- Unintentional firearm deaths 2020: 535
- Children under 18 accidental gun deaths: 202 in 2022
- Gun death rate for Black males ages 15-24: 52.0 per 100,000 in 2021
- White males ages 75+ gun suicide rate: 41.5 per 100k 2021
- Females firearm death rate: 2.9 per 100k vs males 27.4 in 2021
US firearm deaths surged to record highs in recent years, driven by increases in both homicides and suicides.
Accidents
- Accidental firearm deaths totaled 548 in 2021 US
- Unintentional firearm deaths 2020: 535
- Children under 18 accidental gun deaths: 202 in 2022
- Firearm accidents rate: 0.14 per 100k 2021
- 359 accidental gun deaths among adults 2021
- Black children accidental shootings: 40% of total child gun accidents 2022
- From 2015-2019, 2,594 accidental firearm deaths US
- Males 89% of unintentional firearm deaths 2021
- Ages 0-14 accidental gun deaths: 121 in 2021
- Gun accidents declined 6% from 2020-2021
- 2022 accidental firearm fatalities: 611 provisional
- Firearm misfires and NDs cause 500+ deaths yearly average
- Children shot accidentally by family: 75% of child gun accidents
- Rural accidental gun death rate higher: 0.2 per 100k
- Secure storage could prevent 80% accidental deaths
- 2019 accidental firearm deaths: 397
- Teens 15-19: 50 accidental gun deaths 2021
- Handguns in 70% accidental shootings
- Accidental gun deaths up 13% among kids 2018-2022
- Provisional 2023 accidents: 300+
- Firearm accidents total 1999-2021: 13,000+
- Black males highest accidental rate: 0.4 per 100k
Accidents Interpretation
Behind these sobering statistics lies a tragic script, repeated yearly, where unsecured handguns in homes turn curiosity into catastrophe for children and where safe storage promises a far quieter story.
Demographics
- Gun death rate for Black males ages 15-24: 52.0 per 100,000 in 2021
- White males ages 75+ gun suicide rate: 41.5 per 100k 2021
- Females firearm death rate: 2.9 per 100k vs males 27.4 in 2021
- Black children ages 1-19 gun death rate: 12.2 per 100k 2021
- Rural gun death rate: 17.0 per 100k vs urban 10.8 in 2020
- Hispanic males gun homicide rate: 11.5 per 100k 2021
- Ages 25-44 highest gun death group: 18.3 per 100k 2021
- Native American gun death rate: 25.5 per 100k 2021
- Women gun suicide rate up 35% Black women 2000-2020
- Teens 15-19 male gun death rate: 15.2 per 100k 2021
- Southern states average gun death rate: 18.7 per 100k 2021
- LGBTQ+ youth gun suicide risk 4x higher with gun access
- Veterans gun death rate: 28.5 per 100k 2020
- Poverty counties gun homicide rate 2x higher 2021
- Asian/Pacific Islander lowest gun death rate: 2.1 per 100k
- Elderly 65+ gun death mostly suicide: 90% 2021
- Black females gun homicide rate: 4.3 per 100k 2021
- Urban Black youth gun death rate: 35.0 per 100k ages 15-24
- White rural gun suicide rate: 20.5 per 100k males
- Immigrants lower gun death rate: 5.2 per 100k vs natives 15.0 2021
- Gun death disparities: Black rate 4x white non-Hispanic 2021
- Children in gun-owning homes 3x accidental death risk
- Mississippi highest gun death rate state: 28.6 per 100k 2021
- California lowest: 8.5 per 100k 2021
- DC gun homicide rate: 28.5 per 100k 2021
Demographics Interpretation
These statistics expose an American tragedy where your health, safety, and risk of a violent end are shockingly predetermined not by your choices but by your race, your age, your gender, your poverty, and your zip code.
Homicides
- In 2020, 19,384 people were murdered with guns in the US
- Firearm homicides rose 45% from 2019 to 2021, totaling 20,958 in 2021
- In 2022, 21,156 firearm homicides occurred in the US
- Black Americans faced a gun homicide rate of 28.2 per 100,000 in 2021
- Firearms used in 77% of US murders in 2020
- Gun homicides among youth aged 1-17: 2,280 in 2021
- 2021 saw 48% increase in gun homicides from 2019 baseline
- Males accounted for 88% of gun homicide victims in 2020
- Firearm homicide rate for ages 15-34: 17.9 per 100k in 2021
- In 2019, 14,414 gun murders in US
- Gun homicides increased 35% in large cities 2019-2022
- 79% of all homicides in 2021 involved firearms
- Black males aged 15-34 had gun homicide rate of 101.1 per 100k in 2021
- Firearm homicides totaled 16,669 in 2019
- Pandemic-era gun homicides up 30% nationally 2020
- In 2022, gun homicides: 21,156 total
- Firearm-related homicides among children under 18: 1,732 in 2021
- Gun homicide victims in US 2020: 19,141
- Hispanic gun homicide rate 2021: 7.9 per 100k
- Firearms in 54% of mass killings homicides 2022
- Urban gun homicide rate 2021: 12.4 per 100k
- From 2015-2020, gun homicides up 25% for Black youth
- 2023 gun homicides provisional: over 18,000
Homicides Interpretation
While the numbers paint a grim and escalating national tragedy, they scream a particularly devastating and targeted truth: this is not a random crisis, but a systemic failure carving its deepest wounds into young Black communities, with our children caught in the crossfire.
National Totals
- In 2021, the United States recorded 48,830 total firearm deaths, marking a 23% increase from 2019
- Firearm deaths in the US reached 48,204 in 2022, the highest on record
- From 2019 to 2020, US firearm deaths surged by 43% among children and teens aged 1-17, totaling 2,590 deaths
- In 2020, firearms accounted for 54.4% of all US suicides, contributing to 24,292 firearm suicide deaths
- US firearm homicide rate in 2021 was 6.8 per 100,000, up from 4.5 in 2019
- Total US gun deaths averaged 43,000 annually from 2017-2021
- Firearms were used in 79% of all US homicides in 2021, totaling 20,958 deaths
- In 2019, 39,707 people died from guns in the US
- Provisional data shows 45,222 firearm deaths in the US for 2023
- Firearm mortality rate in US was 14.8 per 100,000 in 2021
- In 2020, US had 45,222 gun deaths, highest ever at that point
- From 1999-2020, 703,243 people died by firearms in the US
- Firearm deaths rose 14% from 2019 to 2020 nationally
- In 2021, gun deaths were 4.3% of all US deaths
- US firearm death total for ages 1-19 in 2021 was 4,739
- Provisional 2022 US firearm deaths: 48,204
- Firearms caused 19,384 homicides in 2022
- Total gun suicides 2021: 26,328
- US gun death rate 2020: 13.7 per 100,000
- From 2015-2019, annual average US firearm deaths: 40,000
- 2023 provisional firearm deaths US: over 43,000
- Firearm deaths 1999-2021 cumulative: over 1 million
- US gun deaths 2019: 39,707
- National firearm mortality 2021 rate: 14.2 per 100k for males
- Total US firearm injuries and deaths 2020: over 100,000
- Gun deaths peaked at 48,830 in 2021
- From 2010-2020, firearm deaths increased 30%
- 2021 US firearm deaths by month averaged 4,000+
- Firearm deaths represent 5% of injury deaths nationally
- US total gun deaths 2022 provisional: 48,204 including suicides
National Totals Interpretation
America treats its uniquely lethal gun violence epidemic with the resigned shrug of a patient ignoring a fever that climbs higher every year, now casually breaking its own tragic records as if they were sports scores.
Suicides
- Firearm suicides totaled 26,328 in 2021
- Firearms account for 55% of US suicides, with 24,292 in 2020
- Gun suicide rate 2021: 7.4 per 100k nationally
- Males: 85% of firearm suicides, 23,000+ in 2021
- Rural areas gun suicide rate: 12.1 per 100k vs urban 4.2 in 2021
- From 2000-2020, gun suicides increased 17%
- Elderly white males gun suicide rate: 41.7 per 100k ages 75+
- Veterans: 22 gun suicides daily average 2019-2020
- 2022 provisional gun suicides: 27,300
- Firearms in 50% of youth suicides aged 10-24
- Gun suicide deaths 2019: 23,941
- White non-Hispanics: 70% of gun suicides 2021
- Access to guns increases suicide risk 3-fold, 58% attempt lethality
- States with highest gun suicide rates: Wyoming 29.7 per 100k 2021
- Gun suicides among women up 15% 2015-2020
- 14,000 gun suicides prevented if guns stored safely 2020 estimate
- Ages 25-44 gun suicide rate: 8.9 per 100k 2021
- Firearm suicides 1999-2020: 450,000+
- Gun suicides comprise 73% of rural suicides
- Provisional 2023 gun suicides: 14,000+ half-year
- Firearm suicides fell 3% in states with laws 2019-2021
Suicides Interpretation
Behind every staggering statistic lies a preventable human tragedy, with the data overwhelmingly showing that easy access to a firearm turns a moment of crisis into a permanent and lethal outcome.
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