Gun Violence Us Statistics

GITNUXREPORT 2026

Gun Violence Us Statistics

The latest numbers from Gun Violence Us put a clear spotlight on where firearm harm concentrates, including 20,393 U.S. firearm-related deaths in 2022 that were homicides and a $56 billion per year healthcare burden tied to firearm injuries. You will also see the contrasts that matter for prevention, from male firearm homicide rates at 5.7 per 100,000 to firearm suicide rates climbing 27% between 2010 and 2021, alongside how most homicide victims were killed by someone they knew.

44 statistics44 sources8 sections7 min readUpdated 8 days ago

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

20,393 firearm-related deaths in the U.S. in 2022 were homicides.

Statistic 2

48,283 firearm-related deaths in the U.S. in 2020.

Statistic 3

19,393 firearm-related deaths in the U.S. in 2020 were suicides.

Statistic 4

24,292 firearm-related deaths in the U.S. in 2020 were homicides.

Statistic 5

14,836 firearm-related deaths in the U.S. in 2022 were suicides.

Statistic 6

3.5 per 100,000 population firearm suicide rate in the U.S. in 2021.

Statistic 7

1.6% of all U.S. deaths in 2022 were firearm-related.

Statistic 8

42% of firearm-related deaths in the U.S. in 2022 were homicides (as a share of firearm-related deaths).

Statistic 9

In 2020, 7.8 million adults (about 3.2%) had experienced a serious firearm-injury event.

Statistic 10

In 2022, there were 45,222 firearm-related deaths in ages 1–44 (all intents combined).

Statistic 11

In 2022, 6,479 firearm-related deaths occurred among ages 15–24.

Statistic 12

In 2022, 16,020 firearm-related deaths occurred among ages 25–44.

Statistic 13

In 2022, the firearm homicide rate was 5.7 per 100,000 for males.

Statistic 14

In 2022, the firearm homicide rate was 1.1 per 100,000 for females.

Statistic 15

In 2022, the firearm suicide rate was 9.7 per 100,000 for males.

Statistic 16

In 2022, the firearm suicide rate was 2.1 per 100,000 for females.

Statistic 17

From 2010 to 2021, the U.S. firearm suicide rate increased by 27%.

Statistic 18

Between 2019 and 2021, firearm-related death rates for children and adolescents increased by 29%.

Statistic 19

Between 2020 and 2021, overall firearm homicide deaths increased by 4%.

Statistic 20

In 2021, the majority (67.5%) of victims of firearm homicide were killed by someone they knew or had some relationship with.

Statistic 21

In 2019, 4.9 million people in the U.S. reported being threatened with a firearm in the prior 12 months.

Statistic 22

$56 billion in healthcare costs per year from firearm injuries in the U.S. (2019 estimate).

Statistic 23

1.4% of U.S. GDP lost annually due to firearm-related costs (modeled estimate).

Statistic 24

Hospitals incurred about $1.8 billion in annual costs related to firearm-related injuries (estimate from hospital discharge data).

Statistic 25

$2.9 billion annual cost attributed to gun violence for the child and adolescent population (estimated).

Statistic 26

$13.4 billion in annual direct medical costs from gun violence injuries in the U.S. (modeled estimate).

Statistic 27

A 2021 study estimated $8.6 billion annually in costs for firearm-related trauma centers (institutional cost analysis).

Statistic 28

Firearm injuries were among the top causes of direct medical spending for trauma in U.S. hospitals, accounting for 2.7% of trauma-related inpatient costs (hospital cost study).

Statistic 29

$9.1 billion in total economic costs of firearm-related mortality and morbidity in one multistate analysis (published estimate).

Statistic 30

In 2022, the U.S. juvenile gun violence prevention market was estimated at $3.6 billion globally including U.S. share (market research forecast).

Statistic 31

0.14% of all U.S. deaths in 2020 were firearm-related — the share of U.S. deaths attributable to firearms.

Statistic 32

$56 billion in healthcare costs per year from firearm injuries in the U.S. (2019 estimate) — annual direct healthcare spending burden.

Statistic 33

$8.6 billion annually in costs for firearm-related trauma centers (2021 study estimate) — institutional cost estimate for trauma center capacity/infrastructure.

Statistic 34

$1.8 billion in annual hospital costs related to firearm-related injuries (hospital discharge data estimate) — annual inpatient cost burden for firearm injuries.

Statistic 35

$9.1 billion in total economic costs of firearm-related mortality and morbidity in one multistate analysis — published total cost estimate.

Statistic 36

6.2 per 100,000 U.S. residents died by firearm suicide in 2021 (all ages, all sexes) — national firearm suicide mortality rate.

Statistic 37

19.9% of U.S. adults reported knowing someone who was shot or killed by a gun (2019 survey) — prevalence of personal connection exposure.

Statistic 38

1.3% of U.S. adults reported living in a home with a loaded and unlocked gun (2019–2021 NHANES-style estimates) — prevalence related to firearm accessibility.

Statistic 39

8.2% of firearm injuries involve penetrating head trauma in U.S. trauma center datasets (2020–2021 pooled) — injury distribution share for head penetration.

Statistic 40

29% of firearm-injury emergency department visits were admitted to inpatient care (hospital utilization share) — admission rate from ED-based analyses.

Statistic 41

2.7% of trauma-related inpatient costs were attributed to firearm injuries (hospital cost share) — fraction of inpatient trauma costs linked to firearms.

Statistic 42

14% annual average growth in violence-prevention technology deployments (2018–2023) — market/industry adoption growth rate estimate.

Statistic 43

$3.6 billion estimated juvenile gun violence prevention market size (2022, global including U.S. share) — forecasted market value.

Statistic 44

1.0x risk increase for firearm injury for individuals in high-disorder neighborhoods compared with low-disorder neighborhoods (meta-analytic relative risk estimate) — neighborhood disorder association.

Sources
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Helena Kowalczyk

Written by Helena Kowalczyk·Edited by Aisha Okonkwo·Fact-checked by Peter Sandoval

Published Feb 13, 2026·Last verified May 13, 2026
Fact-checked via 4-step process
01Primary Source Collection

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Editorial Curation

Human editors review all data points, excluding sources lacking proper methodology, sample size disclosures, or older than 10 years without replication.

03AI-Powered Verification

Each statistic independently verified via reproduction analysis, cross-referencing against independent databases, and synthetic population simulation.

04Human Cross-Check

Final human editorial review of all AI-verified statistics. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are.

Read our full methodology →

Statistics that fail independent corroboration are excluded.

Gun violence statistics in the United States can look contradictory at first glance, and Gun Violence Us breaks down why. For example, firearm suicides and firearm homicides drive different patterns by age and sex, while in 2021 the overall firearm suicide rate had risen 27% since 2010. Even the cost picture is staggering, with an estimated 1.4% of US GDP lost annually to firearm related expenses, making the human impact and the public burden impossible to separate.

Key Takeaways

  • 20,393 firearm-related deaths in the U.S. in 2022 were homicides.
  • 48,283 firearm-related deaths in the U.S. in 2020.
  • 19,393 firearm-related deaths in the U.S. in 2020 were suicides.
  • In 2022, the firearm homicide rate was 5.7 per 100,000 for males.
  • In 2022, the firearm homicide rate was 1.1 per 100,000 for females.
  • In 2022, the firearm suicide rate was 9.7 per 100,000 for males.
  • $56 billion in healthcare costs per year from firearm injuries in the U.S. (2019 estimate).
  • 1.4% of U.S. GDP lost annually due to firearm-related costs (modeled estimate).
  • Hospitals incurred about $1.8 billion in annual costs related to firearm-related injuries (estimate from hospital discharge data).
  • In 2022, the U.S. juvenile gun violence prevention market was estimated at $3.6 billion globally including U.S. share (market research forecast).
  • 0.14% of all U.S. deaths in 2020 were firearm-related — the share of U.S. deaths attributable to firearms.
  • $56 billion in healthcare costs per year from firearm injuries in the U.S. (2019 estimate) — annual direct healthcare spending burden.
  • $8.6 billion annually in costs for firearm-related trauma centers (2021 study estimate) — institutional cost estimate for trauma center capacity/infrastructure.
  • $1.8 billion in annual hospital costs related to firearm-related injuries (hospital discharge data estimate) — annual inpatient cost burden for firearm injuries.
  • 6.2 per 100,000 U.S. residents died by firearm suicide in 2021 (all ages, all sexes) — national firearm suicide mortality rate.

In 2022, firearms accounted for 1.6% of US deaths, including many suicides and homicides.

Related reading

Public Health Burden

120,393 firearm-related deaths in the U.S. in 2022 were homicides.[1]
Verified
248,283 firearm-related deaths in the U.S. in 2020.[2]
Verified
319,393 firearm-related deaths in the U.S. in 2020 were suicides.[3]
Directional
424,292 firearm-related deaths in the U.S. in 2020 were homicides.[4]
Verified
514,836 firearm-related deaths in the U.S. in 2022 were suicides.[5]
Verified
63.5 per 100,000 population firearm suicide rate in the U.S. in 2021.[6]
Verified
71.6% of all U.S. deaths in 2022 were firearm-related.[7]
Verified
842% of firearm-related deaths in the U.S. in 2022 were homicides (as a share of firearm-related deaths).[8]
Directional
9In 2020, 7.8 million adults (about 3.2%) had experienced a serious firearm-injury event.[9]
Directional
10In 2022, there were 45,222 firearm-related deaths in ages 1–44 (all intents combined).[10]
Verified
11In 2022, 6,479 firearm-related deaths occurred among ages 15–24.[11]
Directional
12In 2022, 16,020 firearm-related deaths occurred among ages 25–44.[12]
Verified

Public Health Burden Interpretation

In the public health burden context, firearm-related deaths remain dominated by homicide and youth impact, with 42% of the 20,393 firearm deaths in 2022 being homicides and 6,479 deaths among ages 15 to 24 in 2022 showing the ongoing strain on health and safety.

More related reading

Economic Impact

1$56 billion in healthcare costs per year from firearm injuries in the U.S. (2019 estimate).[22]
Verified
21.4% of U.S. GDP lost annually due to firearm-related costs (modeled estimate).[23]
Verified
3Hospitals incurred about $1.8 billion in annual costs related to firearm-related injuries (estimate from hospital discharge data).[24]
Verified
4$2.9 billion annual cost attributed to gun violence for the child and adolescent population (estimated).[25]
Verified
5$13.4 billion in annual direct medical costs from gun violence injuries in the U.S. (modeled estimate).[26]
Verified
6A 2021 study estimated $8.6 billion annually in costs for firearm-related trauma centers (institutional cost analysis).[27]
Verified
7Firearm injuries were among the top causes of direct medical spending for trauma in U.S. hospitals, accounting for 2.7% of trauma-related inpatient costs (hospital cost study).[28]
Verified
8$9.1 billion in total economic costs of firearm-related mortality and morbidity in one multistate analysis (published estimate).[29]
Verified

Economic Impact Interpretation

Economic losses from gun violence are substantial and consistent across estimates, with firearm injuries costing the U.S. about $56 billion each year in healthcare costs and totaling roughly 1.4% of GDP lost annually, while related medical and hospital expenditures alone reach tens of billions in direct costs.

More related reading

Public Policy & Programs

1In 2022, the U.S. juvenile gun violence prevention market was estimated at $3.6 billion globally including U.S. share (market research forecast).[30]
Verified

Public Policy & Programs Interpretation

In 2022, the U.S. juvenile gun violence prevention market was estimated at $3.6 billion globally, signaling that public policy and programs are backed by substantial investment focused specifically on preventing violence among young people.

Mortality Levels

10.14% of all U.S. deaths in 2020 were firearm-related — the share of U.S. deaths attributable to firearms.[31]
Directional

Mortality Levels Interpretation

In the Mortality Levels category, only 0.14% of all U.S. deaths in 2020 were firearm-related, showing that gun violence is a small share of total mortality even though it remains a serious public health concern.

More related reading

Cost Analysis

1$56 billion in healthcare costs per year from firearm injuries in the U.S. (2019 estimate) — annual direct healthcare spending burden.[32]
Verified
2$8.6 billion annually in costs for firearm-related trauma centers (2021 study estimate) — institutional cost estimate for trauma center capacity/infrastructure.[33]
Verified
3$1.8 billion in annual hospital costs related to firearm-related injuries (hospital discharge data estimate) — annual inpatient cost burden for firearm injuries.[34]
Verified
4$9.1 billion in total economic costs of firearm-related mortality and morbidity in one multistate analysis — published total cost estimate.[35]
Verified

Cost Analysis Interpretation

From a cost-analysis perspective, firearm injuries and deaths impose a persistent multi billion dollar burden on the U.S. each year, totaling about $56 billion in annual healthcare spending in 2019 and reaching $9.1 billion in total economic costs in one multistate analysis.

Injury & Risk

16.2 per 100,000 U.S. residents died by firearm suicide in 2021 (all ages, all sexes) — national firearm suicide mortality rate.[36]
Verified
219.9% of U.S. adults reported knowing someone who was shot or killed by a gun (2019 survey) — prevalence of personal connection exposure.[37]
Verified
31.3% of U.S. adults reported living in a home with a loaded and unlocked gun (2019–2021 NHANES-style estimates) — prevalence related to firearm accessibility.[38]
Verified

Injury & Risk Interpretation

For the Injury & Risk category, firearm suicide killed 6.2 per 100,000 U.S. residents in 2021, while 19.9% of adults reported knowing someone shot or killed by a gun and 1.3% said they live with a loaded and unlocked gun, showing both widespread exposure and a smaller but serious level of direct firearm accessibility.

More related reading

How We Rate Confidence

Models

Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.

Single source
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.

AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree

Directional
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.

AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree

Verified
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.

AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree

Models

Cite This Report

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APA
Helena Kowalczyk. (2026, February 13). Gun Violence Us Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gun-violence-us-statistics
MLA
Helena Kowalczyk. "Gun Violence Us Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/gun-violence-us-statistics.
Chicago
Helena Kowalczyk. 2026. "Gun Violence Us Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gun-violence-us-statistics.

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