States with the most (and least) gun violence. See where your state stacks up. - Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association

The latest mass shooting at a Parkland, Fla., high school reignited the debate over gun ownership rights and further highlighted the role that mental illness plays in these tragic episodes of gun violence in the United States.

While grabbing the most headlines, gun violence is not limited to mass shootings. Gun fatalities include homicides, accidents, and suicides. There were 38,658 firearm deaths in the United States in 2016. Of those fatalities, 22,938 were suicides and 14,415 were homicides.

More: ‘Shame on you!’ Florida shooting survivors confront lawmakers at Capitol in Tallahassee

No part of the country has been spared mass shootings. The 10 deadliest incidents have occurred in Texas, California, Florida, Virginia, Connecticut, Oklahoma and Nevada.

When adjusted for the population size, five of the deadliest 10 states are in the South, and six are among the 10 poorest U.S. states. In all but five states, more than half of all firearm fatalities were suicides.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on gun violence by state based on the latest information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which tracks the number of gun-related deaths in each state.

50. Massachusetts

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 3.4 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 242 (suicides: 140, homicides: 89)
Violent crime rate: 376.9 per 100,000 (23rd highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 10.4% (9th lowest)

49. Rhode Island

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 4.0 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 49 (suicides: 35, homicides: N/A)
Violent crime rate: 238.9 per 100,000 (8th lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 12.8% (22nd lowest)

48. New York

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 4.4 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 900 (suicides: 490, homicides: 390)
Violent crime rate: 376.2 per 100,000 (24th highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 14.7% (16th highest)

47. Hawaii

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 4.5 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 66 (suicides: 37, homicides: 22)
Violent crime rate: 309.2 per 100,000 (21st lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 9.3% (2nd lowest)

More: States where Americans pay the least (and most) in taxes

46. Connecticut

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 4.6 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 172 (suicides: 110, homicides: 55)
Violent crime rate: 227.1 per 100,000 (5th lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 9.8% (4th lowest)

45. New Jersey

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 5.5 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 485 (suicides: 176, homicides: 297)
Violent crime rate: 245.0 per 100,000 (12th lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 10.4% (9th lowest)

44. Minnesota

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 7.6 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 432 (suicides: 332, homicides: 83)
Violent crime rate: 242.6 per 100,000 (9th lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes (concealed and open carry)
Poverty rate: 9.9% (6th lowest)

43. California

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 7.9 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 3184 (suicides: 1595, homicides: 1467)
Violent crime rate: 445.3 per 100,000 (15th highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes (in incorporated areas and concealed anywhere)
Poverty rate: 14.3% (20th highest)

42. Maine

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 8.2 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 123 (suicides: 112, homicides: N/A)
Violent crime rate: 123.8 per 100,000 (the lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: No (No permit is necessary to carry openly or to carry a concealed handgun if person is at least 21.)
Poverty rate: 12.5% (21st lowest)

41. Washington

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 9.0 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 686 (suicides: 515, homicides: 146)
Violent crime rate: 302.2 per 100,000 (19th lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 11.3% (14th lowest)

More: Least livable: Worst county, by state, to live in

40. Nebraska

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 9.1 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 171 (suicides: 116, homicides: 45)
Violent crime rate: 291.0 per 100,000 (17th lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 11.4% (15th lowest)

39. Iowa

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 9.2 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 288 (suicides: 228, homicides: 49)
Violent crime rate: 290.6 per 100,000 (16th lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 11.8% (18th lowest)

38. New Hampshire

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 9.3 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 132 (suicides: 123, homicides: N/A)
Violent crime rate: 197.6 per 100,000 (3rd lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: No (A concealed handgun in the state does not require a permit. However, New Hampshire gun laws consider it illegal to carry a loaded handgun concealed on oneself or in a vehicle.)
Poverty rate: 7.3% (the lowest)

37. Delaware

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 10.9 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 111 (suicides: 65, homicides: 44)
Violent crime rate: 508.8 per 100,000 (9th highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 11.7% (16th lowest)

36. Vermont

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 11.0 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 78 (suicides: 69, homicides: N/A)
Violent crime rate: 158.3 per 100,000 (2nd lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: No (Vermont does not issue permits nor require one for law-abiding citizens to carry concealed.)
Poverty rate: 11.9% (19th lowest)

35. Wisconsin

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 11.4 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 664 (suicides: 455, homicides: 188)
Violent crime rate: 305.9 per 100,000 (20th lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 11.8% (18th lowest)

34. Illinois

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 11.6 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 1490 (suicides: 506, homicides: 944)
Violent crime rate: 436.3 per 100,000 (16th highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: FOID Required
Poverty rate: 13.0% (24th lowest)

More: Financial security: Best (and worst) states to grow old in

33. Oregon

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 11.8 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 513 (suicides: 414, homicides: 78)
Violent crime rate: 264.6 per 100,000 (14th lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 13.3% (24th highest)

32. Maryland

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 11.8 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 707 (suicides: 251, homicides: 436)
Violent crime rate: 472.0 per 100,000 (11th highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 9.7% (3rd lowest)

31. Pennsylvania

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 11.9 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 1555 (suicides: 976, homicides: 538)
Violent crime rate: 316.4 per 100,000 (22nd lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 12.9% (23rd lowest)

30. North Dakota

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 11.9 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 90 (suicides: 75, homicides: N/A)
Violent crime rate: 251.1 per 100,000 (13th lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: No
Poverty rate: 10.7% (10th lowest)

29. Virginia

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 12.0 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 1049 (suicides: 671, homicides: 353)
Violent crime rate: 217.6 per 100,000 (4th lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 11.0% (12th lowest)

28. Texas

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 12.1 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 3353 (suicides: 2016, homicides: 1222)
Violent crime rate: 434.4 per 100,000 (17th highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 15.6% (12th highest)

More: Geographic disparity: States with the best (and worst) schools

27. Michigan

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 12.2 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 1230 (suicides: 717, homicides: 482)
Violent crime rate: 459.0 per 100,000 (13th highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 15.0% (15th highest)

26. Florida

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 12.6 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 2704 (suicides: 1672, homicides: 992)
Violent crime rate: 430.3 per 100,000 (18th highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 14.7% (16th highest)

25. Ohio

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 12.9 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 1524 (suicides: 926, homicides: 557)
Violent crime rate: 300.3 per 100,000 (18th lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 14.6% (18th highest)

24. Utah

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 12.9 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 370 (suicides: 309, homicides: 48)
Violent crime rate: 242.8 per 100,000 (10th lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes (A criminal background check is conducted for all applicants)
Poverty rate: 10.2% (7th lowest)

23. Kansas

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 13.3 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 383 (suicides: 257, homicides: 113)
Violent crime rate: 380.4 per 100,000 (22nd highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: No
Poverty rate: 12.1% (20th lowest)

22. South Dakota

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 13.5 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 108 (suicides: 84, homicides: N/A)
Violent crime rate: 418.4 per 100,000 (19th highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 13.3% (24th highest)

More: 25 best counties in the U.S. to live in based on education, poverty and life expectancy

21. North Carolina

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 13.6 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 1409 (suicides: 788, homicides: 558)
Violent crime rate: 372.2 per 100,000 (25th highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 15.4% (13th highest)

20. Colorado

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 14.3 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 812 (suicides: 613, homicides: 161)
Violent crime rate: 342.6 per 100,000 (23rd lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes (Weapon carried at home, business, hotel room, etc., must be in plain view)
Poverty rate: 11.0% (12th lowest)

19. Idaho

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 14.6 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 242 (suicides: 215, homicides: N/A)
Violent crime rate: 230.3 per 100,000 (6th lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: No (A permit to carry is available but not required to carry a handgun either openly or concealed.)
Poverty rate: 14.4% (19th highest)

18. Indiana

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 14.9 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 997 (suicides: 591, homicides: 368)
Violent crime rate: 404.7 per 100,000 (20th highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 14.1% (21st highest)

17. Georgia

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 14.9 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 1571 (suicides: 871, homicides: 653)
Violent crime rate: 397.6 per 100,000 (21st highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 16.0% (10th highest)

16. Arizona

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 15.2 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 1094 (suicides: 755, homicides: 303)
Violent crime rate: 470.1 per 100,000 (12th highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: No (Citizens allowed to carry a concealed handgun with or without a permit.)
Poverty rate: 16.4% (8th highest)

More: U.S. economy: A rundown of the poorest county in every state

15. Nevada

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 16.7 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 498 (suicides: 334, homicides: 149)
Violent crime rate: 678.1 per 100,000 (3rd highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 13.8% (23rd highest)

14. Tennessee

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 17.0 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 1148 (suicides: 675, homicides: 434)
Violent crime rate: 632.9 per 100,000 (4th highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 15.8% (11th highest)

13. Kentucky

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 17.5 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 772 (suicides: 495, homicides: 234)
Violent crime rate: 232.3 per 100,000 (7th lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 18.5% (4th highest)

12. West Virginia

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 17.5 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 332 (suicides: 238, homicides: 78)
Violent crime rate: 358.1 per 100,000 (24th lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: No (Permit to carry available, but not required to carry a handgun either openly or concealed for those 21 and over.)
Poverty rate: 17.9% (5th highest)

11. Wyoming

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 17.5 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 101 (suicides: 87, homicides: N/A)
Violent crime rate: 244.2 per 100,000 (11th lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: No (Wyoming residents do not have to obtain any type of permit/license from the state to exercise their Second Amendment rights.)
Poverty rate: 11.3% (14th lowest)

10. South Carolina

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 17.7 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 891 (suicides: 525, homicides: 335)
Violent crime rate: 501.8 per 100,000 (10th highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 15.3% (14th highest)

More: Economic inequality: The worst states for Hispanics and Latinos

9. Arkansas

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 17.7 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 541 (suicides: 331, homicides: 182)
Violent crime rate: 550.9 per 100,000 (6th highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 17.2% (6th highest)

8. New Mexico

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 18.2 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 383 (suicides: 243, homicides: 113)
Violent crime rate: 702.5 per 100,000 (2nd highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 19.8% (3rd highest)

7. Missouri

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 18.8 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 1144 (suicides: 650, homicides: 464)
Violent crime rate: 519.4 per 100,000 (8th highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: No
Poverty rate: 14.0% (22nd highest)

6. Montana

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 19.0 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 194 (suicides: 162, homicides: N/A)
Violent crime rate: 368.3 per 100,000 (25th lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes (A permit to carry concealed is not needed outside limits of cities or towns.)
Poverty rate: 13.3% (24th highest)

5. Oklahoma

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 19.6 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 766 (suicides: 517, homicides: 238)
Violent crime rate: 449.8 per 100,000 (14th highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 16.3% (9th highest)

4. Mississippi

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 19.8 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 587 (suicides: 268, homicides: 282)
Violent crime rate: 280.5 per 100,000 (15th lowest)
Permit required to carry handgun: No (A permit to carry can be obtained, but it is not required to carry a handgun either openly or concealed.)
Poverty rate: 20.8% (the highest)

More: Workplace fatalities: 25 most dangerous jobs in America

3. Louisiana

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 21.2 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 987 (suicides: 440, homicides: 526)
Violent crime rate: 566.1 per 100,000 (5th highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 20.2% (2nd highest)

2. Alabama

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 21.4 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 1046 (suicides: 550, homicides: 454)
Violent crime rate: 532.3 per 100,000 (7th highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: Yes
Poverty rate: 17.1% (7th highest)

1. Alaska

Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 23.0 per 100,000
Total firearm deaths 2016: 177 (suicides: 113, homicides: 45)
Violent crime rate: 804.2 per 100,000 (the highest)
Permit required to carry handgun: No
Poverty rate: 9.9% (6th lowest)

Detailed findings and methodology

Democrats have criticized the restrictions enacted in 1996 following intense lobbying by groups such as the National Rifle Association. Republicans have been able to thwart Democrats’ attempts to restore federal dollars to fund gun violence research. CDC researchers stopped working on gun-related projects, and federal funding evaporated.

While the Trump administration has indicated in the wake of the Florida shooting that it may be shifting position on funding CDC research of gun violence, studying gun violence in the United States remains relatively difficult.

Some associations can be made with data that are available. For example, even though rapidly firing weapons such as the AR-15 have been the weapon of choice in recent mass shootings, the majority of gun-related fatalities involve handguns.

The similarities of states with the highest firearm-related death rates can also be telling. For example, the states with the highest gun death rates are often the states with relatively loose gun restrictions.

Thirty-eight states and the District of Columbia require a permit to carry a handgun. Of the 12 states that allow individuals to carry concealed weapons (CCW) in public without a permit — Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming — eight report above-average firearm death rates.

Over the past three decades, many states have loosened laws limiting concealed carry weapons permits and now have more permissive CCW permitting systems.

With the notable exception of Alaska, such states also tend to be among the nation’s poorest. Of the 33 states with firearm death rates that exceed the national incidence of 11.73 deaths per 100,000 people, 19 have poverty rates that exceed the national rate of 14.0%.

Financial losses are listed by the CDC and other groups as among the key risk factors for suicide. Concentrated poverty may therefore help explain high suicide death rates, and in turn the high firearm death rates, in many of the states on this list.

To determine the states with the most gun violence, 24/7 Wall St. examined 2016 firearm-related deaths data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We also considered violent crime rates from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 2016 Uniform Crime Report. From the U.S. Census Bureau we reviewed poverty rates by state for 2016. Information on firearm policies for each state are from the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action.

24/7 Wall Street is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/02/21/states-most-and-least-gun-violence-see-where-your-state-stacks-up/359395002/

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