Pew Research: Current Statistics on Gun-Related Deaths in the US

According to the latest available statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more Americans died of gun-related injuries in 2021 than in any other year on record. In total, 48,830 people died from gun-related injuries in the U.S. in 2021, which included record numbers of both gun murders and gun suicides. The number of gun deaths has been increasing in recent years, but the rate of gun deaths, which accounts for the nation's growing population, remained below the levels of earlier decades.

Gun-related suicides have long accounted for the majority of U.S. gun deaths. In 2021, 54% of all gun-related deaths in the U.S. were suicides, while 43% were murders. The remaining gun deaths that year were accidental, involved law enforcement, or had undetermined circumstances.

The number of U.S. gun deaths has been increasing since the beginning of the pandemic. In particular, gun murders have climbed sharply during the pandemic, increasing 45% between 2019 and 2021, while the number of gun suicides rose 10% during that span. The overall increase in U.S. gun deaths since the beginning of the pandemic includes an especially stark rise in such fatalities among children and teens under the age of 18. Gun deaths among children and teens rose 50% in just two years, from 1,732 in 2019 to 2,590 in 2021.

While the total number of gun deaths in the U.S. has reached a record high, the rate of gun deaths is still below peak levels. On a per capita basis, there were 14.6 gun deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, which is the highest rate since the early 1990s but still well below the peak of 16.3 gun deaths per 100,000 people in 1974. The gun murder rate in the U.S. remains below its peak level despite rising sharply during the pandemic. There were 6.7 gun murders per 100,000 people in 2021, below the 7.2 recorded in 1974. The gun suicide rate, on the other hand, is now on par with its historical peak. There were 7.5 gun suicides per 100,000 people in 2021, statistically similar to the 7.7 measured in 1977.

The rate of gun fatalities varies widely from state to state. In 2021, the states with the highest total rates of gun-related deaths, counting murders, suicides, and all other categories tracked by the CDC, included Mississippi, Louisiana, New Mexico, Alabama, and Wyoming. The states with the lowest total rates included Massachusetts, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island.

The places with the highest gun murder rates in 2021 included the District of Columbia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and New Mexico, while those with the lowest gun murder rates included Massachusetts, Idaho, Hawaii, Utah, and Iowa. The states with the highest gun suicide rates in 2021 included Wyoming, Montana, Alaska, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, while the states with the lowest rates included New York, New Jersey, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and California.

Overall, the latest statistics on U.S. gun deaths paint a sobering picture of the continuing toll of gun violence in the country. While the rate of gun deaths has not yet reached the peaks of previous decades, the increase in gun-related fatalities in recent years is cause for concern. The data highlights the need for continued efforts to reduce gun violence through measures such as better background checks, more effective gun safety regulations, and improved access to mental health services.

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