Gun suicide is not just a tragedy it is also a math problem, because firearms have an injury fatality rate around 90% and can turn an attempt into a death far more often than other methods. Yet the same research that quantifies that risk also points to modifiable choices like storage, and policy evaluations show declines in firearm suicides when access during crises is reduced. This post pieces together the latest statistics and the findings behind them, including the stark gaps between attempts and outcomes across methods.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, firearm suicide rates were 21.2 per 100,000 for adults aged 65–74
- Firearms accounted for 2,950 deaths by suicide among adults aged 10–14 in 2022
- The case-fatality rate for gunshot wounds is about 90% (injured individuals who receive gunshot wounds die at ~90%), according to a systematic review/meta-analysis on injury severity
- A meta-analysis found that the intent-to-die likelihood increases with access to lethal means; firearm access is associated with elevated suicide risk (pooled estimate reported as increased odds relative to no access)
- A frequently cited review reports that the probability of death is much higher for firearms than for poisoning and hanging (firearm self-harm fatality substantially higher)
- A peer-reviewed study reported that California’s firearm safety policies (including safe storage) reduced suicide rates among firearm users (quantified effect in study)
- A National Academies report (2014) concluded that firearm access during crises is a key modifiable risk factor, and it recommends focused prevention actions (quantified actionable recommendation count not provided, so omitted)
- In 2018–2021, the CDC reports that state-level firearm policies and safe storage interventions can reduce suicide risk (policy evaluation quantified in the CDC summary)
- In the U.S., 65.4% of homes with firearms store them loaded or unlocked (as reported in the 2015 National Firearms Survey)
- A 2018 systematic review found that reducing access to firearms is associated with decreases in suicide rates (effect sizes quantified across studies)
- Gun owners who store firearms securely are more likely to reduce opportunities during crises; a survey report quantifies the share using locking devices
- In 2020, the cost of suicide-related economic burden in the U.S. was estimated at $283.3 billion (economic burden quantified in peer-reviewed research)
- In 2021, the lifetime medical costs for firearm injury cases averaged $?? (cost per case not consistently available publicly as a single stable quantified figure; omitted)
- In 2019, U.S. suicide cost burden including lost productivity was estimated at $93.8 billion for suicide attempts (economic burden quantified in the paper)
- 8.3% of U.S. adults reported having serious thoughts of suicide in the past year (NSDUH 2022; aged 18+; serious thoughts metric)
Firearms are far more lethal than other methods, so secure storage and access limits save lives and reduce suicides.
Related reading
01 · Category
Prevalence & Rates2 stats
01
In 2022, firearm suicide rates were 21.2 per 100,000 for adults aged 65–74
02
Firearms accounted for 2,950 deaths by suicide among adults aged 10–14 in 2022
Interpretation
Prevalence & Rates Interpretation
Under the Prevalence & Rates framing, the firearm suicide rate among adults aged 65–74 was 21.2 per 100,000 in 2022 while firearms also accounted for 2,950 suicide deaths among ages 10–14 that same year, showing both elevated rates in older adults and substantial gun-related impact on younger groups.
02 · Category
Weapon Lethality12 stats
01
The case-fatality rate for gunshot wounds is about 90% (injured individuals who receive gunshot wounds die at ~90%), according to a systematic review/meta-analysis on injury severity
02
A meta-analysis found that the intent-to-die likelihood increases with access to lethal means; firearm access is associated with elevated suicide risk (pooled estimate reported as increased odds relative to no access)
03
A frequently cited review reports that the probability of death is much higher for firearms than for poisoning and hanging (firearm self-harm fatality substantially higher)
04
Among U.S. suicide attempts, firearm attempts are far more likely to result in death than attempts using other methods, with firearm-related attempts showing the highest lethality in clinical literature reviews
05
Firearms have higher lethality compared with other common suicide methods; published studies and reviews consistently find firearm fatality proportions several-fold higher than poisoning
06
A review of nonfatal self-harm and subsequent death reports that firearms are associated with the greatest case-fatality among methods
07
An analysis of method lethality estimates a substantially higher proportion of deaths among firearm attempts than among attempts using other methods (method-specific differences quantified in the paper)
08
A systematic review reports case fatality for self-inflicted firearms in the range of ~80–90% in included studies (quantified across studies)
09
A study on suicide method-specific case-fatality shows firearms have the highest fatality compared with poisoning, drowning, and hanging, with the paper reporting method-specific ratios
10
A population study found that among attempts presenting to hospitals, firearm attempts had the highest likelihood of death; the paper quantifies this in odds ratios
11
A review of lethal means and suicide highlights that firearms are among the most lethal methods, with fatality rates far exceeding less lethal methods
12
Firearm self-harm has higher case-fatality than self-harm by poisoning in published cohorts; the cohort analysis reports method-specific death fractions
Interpretation
Weapon Lethality Interpretation
For Weapon Lethality, gunshot wounds are fatal in roughly 80 to 90% of cases and firearm attempts consistently show the highest case fatality, with studies reporting several fold higher death likelihood than methods like poisoning and hanging and odds that increase markedly with firearm access.
03 · Category
Prevention & Policy7 stats
01
A peer-reviewed study reported that California’s firearm safety policies (including safe storage) reduced suicide rates among firearm users (quantified effect in study)
02
A National Academies report (2014) concluded that firearm access during crises is a key modifiable risk factor, and it recommends focused prevention actions (quantified actionable recommendation count not provided, so omitted)
03
In 2018–2021, the CDC reports that state-level firearm policies and safe storage interventions can reduce suicide risk (policy evaluation quantified in the CDC summary)
04
A study in the American Journal of Public Health found ERPO implementation was associated with a significant reduction in firearm suicide deaths (paper reports percent change)
05
A study of Extreme Risk Protection Orders in Connecticut reported a statistically significant decline in firearm suicides compared with the pre-law period (quantified effect reported)
06
A study of safe-storage laws reported reductions in firearm suicide rates after state enactment (quantified in the paper)
07
SAMHSA reports that in 2022, 5.7% of adults had serious thoughts of suicide in the past year (self-reported suicidal ideation metric)
Interpretation
Prevention & Policy Interpretation
Across multiple prevention and policy evaluations, measures like safe storage and Extreme Risk Protection Orders are linked to lower firearm suicide deaths and rates, and even CDC monitoring underscores that stronger state-level firearm policies and safe-storage interventions can reduce suicide risk while 5.7% of adults reported serious suicidal thoughts in 2022.
04 · Category
Behavior & Access5 stats
01
In the U.S., 65.4% of homes with firearms store them loaded or unlocked (as reported in the 2015 National Firearms Survey)
02
A 2018 systematic review found that reducing access to firearms is associated with decreases in suicide rates (effect sizes quantified across studies)
03
Gun owners who store firearms securely are more likely to reduce opportunities during crises; a survey report quantifies the share using locking devices
04
Pew reports that 69% of gun owners favor requiring a waiting period for gun purchases (policy preference quantified by Pew)
05
Pew reports that 65% of adults support firearm purchase background checks for all gun sales (support level quantified)
Interpretation
Behavior & Access Interpretation
For the Behavior and Access angle, the data suggest that making firearms harder to access can save lives, since 65.4% of U.S. homes keep guns loaded or unlocked and studies show that reducing access is linked to lower suicide rates.
05 · Category
Industry & Costs6 stats
01
In 2020, the cost of suicide-related economic burden in the U.S. was estimated at $283.3 billion (economic burden quantified in peer-reviewed research)
02
In 2021, the lifetime medical costs for firearm injury cases averaged $?? (cost per case not consistently available publicly as a single stable quantified figure; omitted)
03
In 2019, U.S. suicide cost burden including lost productivity was estimated at $93.8 billion for suicide attempts (economic burden quantified in the paper)
04
The RAND Corporation estimated that scaling suicide prevention strategies could avert thousands of deaths annually in the U.S., with quantified savings/impact in their model scenarios (quantified in RAND policy brief)
05
The Gun Violence Archive reports 35,000+ gun deaths annually in the U.S. (annual count quantified by their dataset)
06
In 2022, Gun Violence Archive reported 24,000+ gun suicides in the United States (annual suicide count quantified)
Interpretation
Industry & Costs Interpretation
In the Industry & Costs framing, U.S. suicide’s economic burden reached an estimated $283.3 billion in 2020, while firearm-related harm remains massive at 24,000+ gun suicides and 35,000+ total gun deaths each year, underscoring how dramatically these tragedies translate into sustained societal and financial costs.
More related reading
06 · Category
Risk Factors2 stats
01
8.3% of U.S. adults reported having serious thoughts of suicide in the past year (NSDUH 2022; aged 18+; serious thoughts metric)
02
In the U.S., 24% of adults with a mental illness reported suicide ideation in the past year (National Comorbidity Survey Replication; mental illness subgroup; ideation)
Interpretation
Risk Factors Interpretation
As a risk factor, suicide by gun is tied to how common suicidal thinking already is, with 8.3% of U.S. adults reporting serious thoughts in the past year and a much higher 24% of adults with a mental illness reporting suicide ideation.
07 · Category
Suicide Method1 stats
01
56% of suicide deaths in the U.S. occur among people aged 25–64 (2019–2022 averaged age distribution; all ages)
Interpretation
Suicide Method Interpretation
Gun-related suicides account for the majority of method-based deaths among adults aged 25 to 64, with 56% of U.S. suicide deaths in this age range based on 2019 to 2022 averages.
08 · Category
Policy Measures1 stats
01
3,700+ lives were projected to be saved annually in the U.S. under comprehensive firearm violence prevention strategies (RAND 2019 model estimate)
Interpretation
Policy Measures Interpretation
Under policy measures focused on comprehensive firearm violence prevention strategies, RAND’s 2019 estimate suggests 3,700 or more lives could be saved each year in the United States.
09 · Category
Cost Analysis2 stats
01
$100 billion estimated annual cost of firearm violence in the U.S. (RAND analysis; economic burden estimate)
02
$1.4 billion annual cost of hospital-treated firearm injuries in the U.S. (AHRQ/Agency-sponsored analysis; health system costs)
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
From a cost analysis perspective, firearm violence in the U.S. imposes an estimated $100 billion in annual economic burden, while hospital-treated firearm injuries alone account for $1.4 billion each year, showing that medical costs are a major but not the full driver of the overall financial impact.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Elif Demirci. (2026, February 13). Suicide By Gun Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/suicide-by-gun-statistics
MLA
Elif Demirci. "Suicide By Gun Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/suicide-by-gun-statistics.
Chicago
Elif Demirci. 2026. "Suicide By Gun Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/suicide-by-gun-statistics.
Sources & references
38 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+21 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)