While 2021 saw a devastating record of 48,830 lives lost to firearms, making guns the leading cause of death for American children and teens, the full story of this national crisis is told in the startling statistics that follow.
Key Takeaways
- In 2021, there were 48,830 gun-related deaths in the United States, marking the highest annual total ever recorded.
- Firearms were the leading cause of death among U.S. children and teens (ages 1-17) in 2021, with 2,590 fatalities.
- From 2019 to 2021, gun deaths increased by 23% in rural counties compared to 12% in urban counties.
- In 2022, 19,384 people were murdered with guns in the US.
- Gun homicides rose 45% from 2019 to 2021, from 13,927 to 20,173.
- Black males aged 15-34 had a gun homicide rate of 103.2 per 100,000 in 2021.
- Gun suicides totaled 26,328 in 2021, 54% of all suicides.
- Firearm suicides among men: 70% of male suicides in 2021.
- Gun suicide rate for adults 85+: 40.8 per 100,000 in 2021.
- In 2021, there were 80,000+ nonfatal firearm injuries treated in US hospitals.
- Firearm assault injuries: 27,700 in 2021, mostly nonfatal.
- Unintentional firearm injuries: 6,520 hospital cases in 2021.
- Mass shootings in 2023: 656 incidents per Gun Violence Archive.
- 2022 mass shootings: 647, highest year on record.
- Since Columbine (1999), 428 mass shootings in schools.
The rising crisis of American gun violence claimed a heartbreaking record high in 2021.
Fatalities
- In 2021, there were 48,830 gun-related deaths in the United States, marking the highest annual total ever recorded.
- Firearms were the leading cause of death among U.S. children and teens (ages 1-17) in 2021, with 2,590 fatalities.
- From 2019 to 2021, gun deaths increased by 23% in rural counties compared to 12% in urban counties.
- In 2022, provisional data shows 43,965 gun deaths in the US, down slightly from 2021 but still elevated.
- Black Americans accounted for 60% of gun homicide victims in 2021 despite being 14% of the population.
- Firearm mortality rate in 2020 was 14.2 per 100,000, up from 11.0 in 2019.
- Between 2019 and 2020, gun deaths rose 43% among US children and adolescents.
- In 2020, there were 45,222 firearm-related deaths, including suicides, homicides, and accidents.
- Gun deaths reached 48,204 in 2021, with a rate of 14.8 per 100,000 population.
- From 1999-2020, gun deaths totaled 697,000, surpassing motor vehicle deaths in recent years.
- In 2019, the firearm death rate for males was 23.8 per 100,000 vs. 3.6 for females.
- Firearm fatalities increased 35% from 2015 to 2020 across the US.
- In 2022, at least 44,290 people died by guns in the US, per preliminary CDC data.
- Gun deaths among Black children rose 50% from 2019 to 2022.
- Total gun deaths in 2018 were 39,740, with a rate of 12.1 per 100,000.
- From 2010-2021, firearm deaths increased by 33%, from 35,332 to 47,000+.
- In 2020, Louisiana had the highest firearm death rate at 29.1 per 100,000.
- Firearm deaths accounted for 4.5% of all US deaths in 2021.
- Provisional 2023 data estimates over 42,000 gun deaths, continuing high trends.
- Gun fatalities for ages 18-24 surged 83% from 2011 to 2021.
- In 2021, 54% of suicides (26,328) were by firearm.
- Total unintentional firearm deaths in 2021: 537.
- Firearm deaths in US youth (1-19) totaled 4,733 in 2021.
- From 1999-2021, cumulative gun deaths exceeded 1 million.
- Mississippi's 2021 firearm death rate: 28.6 per 100,000.
- Gun deaths rose 14% nationally from 2019 to 2020.
- In 2022, 20,200 children witnessed a shooting death.
- Firearm mortality for Native Americans: 25.6 per 100,000 in 2021.
- DC had 29.4 gun deaths per 100,000 in 2020.
- Gun deaths in 2023 YTD: over 30,000 as of Oct.
Fatalities Interpretation
In 2021, America’s children were more likely to be killed by a bullet than by anything else, a grim new normal where the leading cause of childhood death is not illness or accident but a uniquely American policy failure.
Homicides
- In 2022, 19,384 people were murdered with guns in the US.
- Gun homicides rose 45% from 2019 to 2021, from 13,927 to 20,173.
- Black males aged 15-34 had a gun homicide rate of 103.2 per 100,000 in 2021.
- In 2021, 79% of all homicides involved a firearm.
- Chicago saw 697 gun homicides in 2021.
- Firearm homicides accounted for 54% of all murders in 2022.
- From 2019-2020, gun homicides increased 30% nationwide.
- Philadelphia recorded 561 gun homicides in 2021.
- In 2020, 77% of murder victims aged 18-24 were killed by guns.
- Gun homicide rate for Black Americans: 27.5 per 100,000 in 2021.
- Baltimore had 318 firearm homicides in 2022.
- Nationally, gun homicides spiked 35% in 2020 amid pandemic.
- In 2021, 14,677 gun homicides among males aged 25-44.
- St. Louis gun homicide rate: 69.4 per 100,000 in 2021.
- Firearms used in 73% of Black homicide deaths in 2020.
- New Orleans saw 266 gun murders in 2022.
- Gun homicides in Detroit: 309 in 2021.
- Hispanic gun homicide victimization rate: 7.9 per 100,000 in 2021.
- Cleveland had 137 gun homicides in 2022.
- From 2015-2020, gun homicides rose 31% in large cities.
- Memphis gun homicides: 249 in 2021.
- In 2022, Kansas City recorded 172 firearm murders.
- Gun homicides among teens (15-19) doubled from 2019 to 2022.
- Milwaukee saw 190 gun homicides in 2022.
- Atlanta had 171 gun murders in 2022.
- Gun homicides in Stockton, CA: 45 in 2021, rate over 30 per 100k.
- In 2021, 90% of youth gun homicides occurred in urban areas.
- Indianapolis gun homicides: 215 in 2022.
- In 2021, firearms were used in 81% of homicides in California.
Homicides Interpretation
These statistics paint a grim portrait of a public health emergency, where the alarming rise in gun violence, tragically concentrated in marginalized communities and urban centers, makes it clear that "thoughts and prayers" are a wholly insufficient response to a daily and preventable bloodletting.
Injuries
- In 2021, there were 80,000+ nonfatal firearm injuries treated in US hospitals.
- Firearm assault injuries: 27,700 in 2021, mostly nonfatal.
- Unintentional firearm injuries: 6,520 hospital cases in 2021.
- Gunshot wounds cost $2.8 billion in hospital charges in 2021.
- Children under 18: 4,000+ nonfatal gun injuries in 2022.
- Black children: 8x higher nonfatal gun injury rate than white.
- From 2018-2022, 1,200+ kids accidentally shot family members.
- Male nonfatal firearm injury rate: 5x female in 2021.
- 70% of nonfatal gun injuries from assaults in urban areas.
- Hospitalizations for gun injuries up 34% from 2019-2021.
- In 2020, 39,707 nonfatal firearm injuries reported to NEISS.
- Teens 15-19: 10,000+ nonfatal gun injuries yearly.
- Gun injury survival rate improved to 80% due to trauma care advances.
- Lifetime medical costs per gun injury: $1.1 million on average.
- 2022 saw 15,000+ pediatric nonfatal shootings.
- Firearm self-harm injuries: 8,000 nonfatal in 2021.
- Rural gun injury rates 2x urban for unintentional.
- Gun injuries in workplace: 500+ nonfatal annually.
- Hispanic youth nonfatal gun assault injuries up 60% 2019-2021.
- Paralyzed by gunshots: 800 new cases yearly.
- Gun injury ED visits: 140,000 in 2021.
- Women: 25% of nonfatal intimate partner gun injuries.
- Military veterans: 2,000 gun injuries nonfatal yearly.
- Gun trauma centers see 50% higher survival with Level 1 designation.
- In 2022, 40,000+ nonfatal gun injuries estimated.
- Amputation from gun injuries: 1,500 cases annually.
- Elderly gun injury hospitalization rate: 12 per 100,000.
Injuries Interpretation
While our trauma surgeons are performing miracles to achieve an 80% survival rate, the relentless, billion-dollar accounting of bullets in bodies—disproportionately targeting the young, the Black, and our urban centers—paints a damning portrait of a nation treating the symptoms of its self-inflicted sickness while willfully ignoring the cure.
Mass Shootings
- Mass shootings in 2023: 656 incidents per Gun Violence Archive.
- 2022 mass shootings: 647, highest year on record.
- Since Columbine (1999), 428 mass shootings in schools.
- Mass shootings 2024 YTD (as of Oct): 500+.
- Uvalde, TX 2022: 21 killed in Robb Elementary mass shooting.
- Buffalo supermarket 2022: 10 Black victims killed.
- Highland Park parade 2022: 7 dead, 48 injured.
- Monterey Park 2023: 11 killed in dance hall.
- Nashville school 2023: 6 dead including 3 children.
- Allen, TX mall 2023: 8 killed.
- Mass shootings doubled from 277 in 2018 to 692 in 2021.
- 80% of mass shooters obtained guns legally.
- Public mass shootings (4+ killed): 35 in 2023.
- El Paso Walmart 2019: 23 dead, anti-immigrant motive.
- Parkland 2018: 17 killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS.
- Las Vegas 2017: 60 killed, 400+ injured concert.
- Orlando Pulse 2016: 49 dead in nightclub.
- Sutherland Springs church 2017: 26 killed.
- Dayton 2019: 9 killed in 32 seconds.
- Boulder King Soopers 2021: 10 killed.
- Oxford High School 2021: 4 students killed.
- Club Q Colorado Springs 2022: 5 killed, 19 injured.
- Lewiston, ME 2023: 18 killed in two locations.
Mass Shootings Interpretation
The statistics offer a grim arithmetic where the annual body count rises like a bad stock market, proving that while America debates solutions, shooters are tragically efficient at executing the problem.
Suicides
- Gun suicides totaled 26,328 in 2021, 54% of all suicides.
- Firearm suicides among men: 70% of male suicides in 2021.
- Gun suicide rate for adults 85+: 40.8 per 100,000 in 2021.
- From 2006-2020, gun suicides increased 13.8%.
- White males accounted for 68% of gun suicides in 2021.
- In rural areas, 72% of suicides involve firearms vs. 44% urban.
- Gun suicides in 2020: 24,292, up 14% from 2019.
- Veterans: firearms used in 70% of suicides, 6,261 in 2021.
- Elderly white men (75+): gun suicide rate 49.6 per 100,000.
- From 2015-2019, gun suicides averaged 23,941 annually.
- In 2022, estimated 25,000+ gun suicides.
- Gun suicide attempts have 85-90% fatality rate vs. 5% other methods.
- Montana's gun suicide rate: 39.3 per 100,000 in 2021.
- Gun suicides declined 3% from 2019-2020 in some states post-laws.
- Males 25-34: 32.1 gun suicides per 100,000 in 2021.
- Wyoming gun suicides: 43.9 per 100,000, highest state.
- 58% of gun deaths are suicides, totaling over 14 million since 1975.
- Gun suicide rate doubled for youth 10-19 from 2007-2021.
- In 2021, 59% of suicide deaths (48% total) were by firearm.
- Alaska: 49.7 gun suicides per 100,000 in 2020.
- Gun suicides among women increased 15% from 2015-2020.
- States with safe storage laws see 8-10% lower gun suicide rates.
- In 2019, 14,707 veteran gun suicides.
- Gun suicides peak in spring months, up 20% March-May.
- New Mexico gun suicide rate: 28.1 per 100,000.
- Gun suicides for ages 35-54: highest demographic at 21,000+ annually.
- In 2021, non-Hispanic white gun suicide rate: 18.3 per 100,000.
- Gun suicides dropped 7% in states with waiting periods.
- In 2022, over 27,000 gun suicides estimated.
Suicides Interpretation
These statistics paint a grim portrait of a national crisis where the firearm, often celebrated as a tool of protection, is tragically and overwhelmingly its owner's own executioner, with the data revealing a particularly lethal intersection of masculinity, isolation, and easy access.
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