To understand what effects arms laws have, it is important to know how many American weapons have and how these vary over time and across the United States. The Pew Research Center reports that the south of the USA has the highest number of weapons owners, with approximately 36 percent of people living in this area possessing a weapon.
The midwest is more than 30% owned by weapons, while the northeast is about 16% owned by weapons. The majority of the guns are in rural households in the United States, and more men have arms than women. Let’s now examine the possession of armsuni by the US state in 2023. It is important to note that we are looking at the overall population percentage of weapons. We focus on the total percentage of armed properties concerning the population of the government for this article.
Here are the ten states with the highest rates of gun ownership:
10. North Dakota
| Gun Ownership: | 55.10% |
| Registered Guns: | 13,272 |
North Dakota arms legislation regulates the sale, Ownership, and use in the United States of firearms and ammunition. No political subdivision may adopt any more restrictive ordinance than state law regarding the purchase, sale, property, transfer of Ownership, Ownership, registration, or licensing of firearms and munitions. In the restaurant part of liquor, a covered carriage is allowed. Under twenty-one years of age are not prohibited. Open long arms may be fired one hour in advance of sunrise until the sunset takes one hour to unload the arms.
9. South Dakota
| Gun Ownership: | 55.30% |
| Registered Guns: | 21,130 |
Hawaii is the first US state to make the FBI database accessible to gun owners. Hawaii’s weapons legislation is one of the country’s most restrictive States. As of December 2017, out of a population of 1.4 million, 0 active Handgun Carry licenses were issued to private citizens in Hawaii. Hawaii has no precise count of registered weapons which is legally owned. The lowest rate of violent crime in all cities in the US is Honolulu, the capital of Hawaii. His homicide rate is similar to the suburb of Dallas, Plano, Texas, one of the richest communities in the country. Hawaii is the only state that all firearms, rifles, and handguns alike must be registered.
8. Alabama
| Gun Ownership: | 55.50% |
| Registered Guns: | 161,641 |
The Alabama Constitution states that every citizen is entitled to carry arms in defense of himself. In Alabama, in the United States, arms legislation regulates the sale, Ownership, and use of firearms and ammunition. In some places, firearms are prohibited. Including persons to do bodily harm and non-Alabama pistol-permitters, possessing firearms is prohibited in public school premises. The authorization is valid to carry a pistol in a vehicle or for a person inside the State. Up to 5 years at a time, licenses are valid. Alabama is to issue an unlimited license, except where the person holds a valid, concealed handgun license, for applicants who are residents of the county. The license applies to those who do not carry a handgun on premises not owned by or controlled by that owner.
7. Mississippi
| Gun Ownership: | 55.8% |
| Registered Guns: | 35,494 |
Mississippi is one of the least restrictive states in the country with firearms laws. In Mississippi, 55.8% of people have firearms in their homes. Mississippi gun laws govern the sale, ownership, and use of guns and ammunition in Mississippi. Mississippi’s gun laws are one of the most lax in the country, with no licence or background check usually needed to publicly carry handguns almost anywhere in the state.
6. Arkansas
| Gun Ownership: | 57.20% |
| Registered Guns: | 79,841 |
Arkansas gun rules govern the sale, possession, and use in the United States of firearms and ammunition. For everyone convicted, mentally defective, or committed involuntarily to mental institutions, possession of a firearm is illegal in Arkansas. In addition to being filed under federal law, automatic weapons have to be registered with the Arkansas Secretary of State. Arkansas ranked in number two in the top 10 gun states in the US with this consideration.
5. West Virginia
| Gun Ownership: | 58.50% |
| Registered Guns: | 35,264 |
In West Virginia, weapons laws govern firearms and ammunition sales, possession, and use in this US state. Western Virginia’s constitution safeguards people’s right to keep and carry arms. The banned places include the correction of buses, the events, courthouses, Charleston, Dunbar, and South Charleston (other than firearms in a vehicle). Firearms are sold privately and not subject to background checks, including handguns. In western Virginia, the person is allowed to have a legal gun at the age of 21. The seller may possess a handgun.
4. Idaho
| Gun Ownership: | 60.10% |
| Registered Guns: | 49,566 |
The gun laws of Idaho regulate the sale, Ownership, and use in the United States of Idaho of firearms and munitions. All laws shall not impose an authorization, registration, or special tax on the Ownership or possession of firearms or munitions. Idaho shall not allow local units of government to regulate the possession, use, or transport. The State law was adopted in 2018 on stand-your-ground. Previously, the law was based on jury instructions for murder or violent cases. Such Ownership shall conform with all federal rules. Idaho ranked third in the top ten gun ownership of the US with this consideration.
3. Alaska
| Gun Ownership: | 64.50% |
| Registered Guns: | 15,824 |
The United States of Alaska has very permissive arms laws, few arms sales, and used compared to most of the contiguous States. Alaska was the first State to pass arms legislation modeled on Vermont’s, where no permit is required for open or hidden handguns. If the officer chooses to seize the weapon temporarily, government officials and a licensed person shall have the right to inform the officer they are carrying or cooperate with a lawyer. All such belongings in the State of Alaska are illegal.
2. Wyoming
| Gun Ownership: | 66.20% |
| Registered Guns: | 132,806 |
Wyoming’s weapons laws are among the country’s most permissive. Wyoming arms laws govern the sale, Ownership, and use in Wyoming state of the USA of arms and ammunition. States that are subject to frequent review and regulated in the State by March 2016 are subject to similar licensing requirements. The law of the State of Wyoming allows covert firearms to be granted. As a state of ‘shall issue,’ if no valid reason is found, the local sheriff’s office is required to issue a permit on request. A Wyoming permit has been valid for five years and has become, following Vermont, an unlimited concealed transport country (only residents).
1. Montana
| Gun Ownership: | 66.30% |
| Registered Guns: | 22,133 |
Montana Gun Law regulates in the United States the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition. Montana has some of America’s most permissive arms laws. In the State, hidden weapons are allowed, and local authorities have a right to carry firearms with a license. In school buildings, no weapons, hidden or otherwise, are permitted. Montana has several legal, dealer, or trade association restrictions. The State, but not local governments, may file such lawsuits. This law states that federal firearms legislation exempts manufactured, sold, and maintained in Montana.
Lowest Gun Ownership States:
If you are still curious to find the data of the least ten states of the US having the lowest gun ownership, then here you can go!
| Rank | State | Gun Ownership | Registered Guns |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10. | Delaware | 34.40% | 4,852 |
| 9. | Maryland | 30.20% | 103,109 |
| 8. | California | 28.30% | 344,622 |
| 7. | Illinois | 27.80% | 146,487 |
| 6. | Connecticut | 23.60% | 82,400 |
| 5. | New York | 19.90% | 76,207 |
| 4. | Hawaii | 14.90% | 7,859 |
| 3. | Rhode Island | 14.80% | 4,223 |
| 2. | New Jersey | 14.70% | 57,505 |
| 1. | Massachusetts | 14.70% | 37,152 |
Highest Gun Ownership States:
So, these are all about The Highest Ten Gun ownership states of the US in 2023! If you want to take a glimpse of all the countries ranking along with their respective Gun Ownership and Registered Guns, then have a look below:
| State | Gun Ownership | Registered Guns |
|---|---|---|
| Montana | 66.30% | 22,133 |
| Wyoming | 66.20% | 132,806 |
| Alaska | 64.50% | 15,824 |
| Idaho | 60.10% | 49,566 |
| West Virginia | 58.50% | 35,264 |
| Arkansas | 57.20% | 79,841 |
| Mississippi | 55.80% | 35,494 |
| Alabama | 55.50% | 161,641 |
| South Dakota | 55.30% | 21,130 |
| North Dakota | 55.10% | 13,272 |
| Oklahoma | 54.70% | 71,269 |
| Kentucky | 54.60% | 81,058 |
| Louisiana | 53.10% | 116,831 |
| Tennessee | 51.60% | 99,159 |
| Oregon | 50.80% | 61,383 |
| Vermont | 50.50% | 5,872 |
| South Carolina | 49.40% | 105,601 |
| Georgia | 49.20% | 190,050 |
| Kansas | 48.90% | 52,634 |
| Missouri | 48.80% | 72,995 |
| Nevada | 47.30% | 76,888 |
| Utah | 46.80% | 72,856 |
| Maine | 46.80% | 15,371 |
| Arizona | 46.30% | 179,738 |
| New Mexico | 46.20% | 97,580 |
| North Carolina | 45.80% | 152,238 |
| Texas | 45.70% | 588,696 |
| Wisconsin | 45.30% | 64,878 |
| Nebraska | 45.20% | 22,234 |
| Colorado | 45.10% | 92,435 |
| Indiana | 44.80% | 114,019 |
| Virginia | 44.60% | 307,822 |
| Iowa | 43.60% | 28,494 |
| Minnesota | 42.80% | 79,307 |
| Washington | 42.10% | 91,835 |
| New Hampshire | 41.10% | 64,135 |
| Pennsylvania | 40.70% | 236,377 |
| Michigan | 40.20% | 65,742 |
| Ohio | 40.00% | 173,405 |
| Florida | 35.30% | 343,288 |
| Delaware | 34.40% | 4,852 |
| Maryland | 30.20% | 103,109 |
| California | 28.30% | 344,622 |
| Illinois | 27.80% | 146,487 |
| Connecticut | 23.60% | 82,400 |
| New York | 19.90% | 76,207 |
| Hawaii | 14.90% | 7,859 |
| Rhode Island | 14.80% | 4,223 |
| New Jersey | 14.70% | 57,505 |
| Massachusetts | 14.70% | 37,152 |
Conclusion!
It is no coincidence that Alaska, which in the United States has the highest rate of weapons fatality, also has one of the highest rates of weapons ownership. On the other hand, we have the lowest percentage of weapons owners in the countries. The lowest arms ownership rate is 14.7% in Massachusetts and New Jersey and 14.8% in Rhode Island, and 14.9% in Hawaii. The only other State with less than 20 percent arms ownership in New York, at 19.9 percent. Both Massachusetts and New Jersey have some of America’s most stringent gun ownership laws. According to the human Development Index, the US has almost 30 weapons homicides per million, compared with 5.1 per million in Canada.
