Tennessee Firearm Death Data

This information is sourced from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention WISQARS database. WISQARS (Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System, pronounced “whiskers”) is an interactive database system that provides injury-related mortality data. The data below is specifically related to firearm deaths – all firearm deaths, firearm homicides, firearm suicide deaths, and unintentional shooting deaths. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention receives information from each state’s health department, then uploads it into the WISQARS database.

Below are tables reflecting rates of firearm death (all intents), firearm homicides, and firearm suicide deaths by state, ranked by age-adjusted rate for the most recent year of CDC data.

The states in red are states whose gun laws received a D or F grade from the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Those in green received a A or B. Those in black received a C. For more on gun law grades, click here. States with an asterisk are “permitless carry” states, meaning no permit, and no firearm safety training, is required to carry loaded gun in public places.

In 2017, Tennessee was 11th in the nation for firearms deaths (all intents), 7th in the nation for firearm homicides, and 19th for firearm suicides.

For detail on the number of Tennessee firearm deaths (all intents) 2010-2017, click here or scroll below
For detail on the number of Tennessee firearm homicides 2010-2017, click here or scroll below
For detail on the number of Tennessee firearm suicide deaths 2010-2017, click here or scroll below

2017 Firearm Deaths Rates - All Intents

RANK	STATE	DEATHS	POPULATION	RATE
1	*Alaska	180	739795	24.53
2	Alabama	1124	4874747	22.85
3	Montana	244	1050493	22.59
4	Louisiana	1008	4684333	21.60
5	*Mississippi	632	2984100	21.50
6	*Missouri	1307	6113532	21.32
7	*Arkansas	613	3004279	20.23
8	*Wyoming	113	579315	18.74
9	*West Virginia	348	1815857	18.59
10	New Mexico	394	2088070	18.50
11	Tennessee	1246	6715984	18.45
12	South Carolina	893	5024369	17.58
13	Oklahoma	681	3930864	17.16
14	Nevada	508	2998039	16.70
15	Idaho	280	1716943	16.44
16	Kentucky	730	4454189	16.20
17	Kansas	466	2913123	15.87
18	*Arizona	1134	7016270	15.69
19	Georgia	1623	10429379	15.36
20	Indiana	1016	6666818	15.18
21	Utah	410	3101833	14.03
22	Ohio	1589	11658609	13.68
23	North Carolina	1430	10273419	13.63
24	Colorado	779	5607154	13.38
25	*North Dakota	103	755393	13.18
26	Pennsylvania	1636	12805537	12.44
27	Texas	3513	28304596	12.36
28	Florida	2724	20984400	12.31
29	Maryland	742	6052177	12.25
30	Oregon	528	4142776	12.08
31	Illinois	1543	12802023	12.05
32	Virginia	1041	8470020	11.86
33	*South Dakota	101	869666	11.83
34	*Vermont	70	623657	11.81
35	*Maine	172	1335907	11.59
36	Delaware	111	961939	11.57
37	Michigan	1138	9962311	11.18
38	Washington	849	7405743	11.06
39	Wisconsin	624	5795483	10.53
40	New Hampshire	146	1342795	10.34
41	Iowa	293	3145711	9.03
42	Nebraska	160	1920076	8.31
43	Minnesota	465	5576606	8.22
44	California	3184	39536653	7.82
45	New Jersey	478	9005644	5.33
46	Connecticut	188	3588184	5.13
47	Rhode Island	43	1059639	3.84
48	New York	772	19849399	3.72
49	Massachusetts	262	6859819	3.68
50	Hawaii	39	1427538	2.45

2017 Firearm Death Rates - Homicide Only

RANK	STATE	DEATHS	POPULATION	RATE
1	Louisiana	534	4684333	11.73
2	Alabama	506	4874747	10.91
3	*Mississippi	295	2984100	10.39
4	*Missouri	564	6113532	9.71
5	Maryland	454	6052177	7.84
6	Illinois	934	12802023	7.52
7	Tennessee	467	6715984	7.40
8	South Carolina	338	5024369	7.11
9	*Arkansas	192	3004279	6.82
10	Georgia	666	10429379	6.41
11	*Alaska	46	739795	6.26
12	Delaware	57	961939	6.17
13	Oklahoma	228	3930864	6.15
14	Indiana	371	6666818	5.81
15	Ohio	621	11658609	5.69
16	Kentucky	228	4454189	5.36
17	Nevada	153	2998039	5.35
18	North Carolina	522	10273419	5.25
19	New Mexico	101	2088070	5.19
20	Pennsylvania	602	12805537	5.02
21	Florida	947	20984400	4.89
22	Kansas	137	2913123	4.87
23	Michigan	438	9962311	4.65
24	*Arizona	304	7016270	4.50
25	Texas	1254	28304596	4.40
26	West Virginia	69	1815857	4.10
27	Virginia	345	8470020	4.05
28	California	1435	39536653	3.64
29	New Jersey	261	9005644	3.08
30	Wisconsin	159	5795483	2.92
31	Colorado	160	5607154	2.82
32	Washington	165	7405743	2.27
33	Connecticut	73	3588184	2.20
34	Montana	21	1050493	2.18
35	Iowa	64	3145711	2.15
36	Oregon	73	4142776	1.85
37	Utah	53	3101833	1.72
38	Idaho	27	1716943	1.70
39	New York	312	19849399	1.59
40	Nebraska	29	1920076	1.58
41	Massachusetts	103	6859819	1.58
42	*South Dakota	11	869666	1.47
43	Minnesota	78	5576606	1.47
44	Rhode Island	10	1059639	0.98
45	*Maine	10	1335907	0.72
46	*North Dakota	P	755393	.
47	*Vermont	P	623657	.
48	*Wyoming	P	579315	.
49	Hawaii	P	1427538	.
50	New Hampshire	P	1342795	.

2017 Firearm Death Rates - 2017 - Firearm Suicide Only

RANK	STATE	DEATHS	POPULATION	RATE
1	Montana	213	1050493	19.37
2	*Wyoming	99	579315	16.49
3	*Alaska	119	739795	16.17
4	Idaho	244	1716943	14.18
5	*West Virginia	267	1815857	13.86
6	*Arkansas	392	3004279	12.41
7	*North Dakota	93	755393	11.97
8	Utah	344	3101833	11.86
9	New Mexico	261	2088070	11.75
10	Alabama	573	4874747	11.01
11	*Missouri	701	6113532	10.90
12	Oklahoma	439	3930864	10.66
13	Arizona	792	7016270	10.63
14	Kansas	316	2913123	10.57
15	Nevada	329	2998039	10.48
16	*Vermont	62	623657	10.40
17	Colorado	592	5607154	10.10
18	Kentucky	470	4454189	10.09
19	Tennessee	711	6715984	10.04
20	*Maine	151	1335907	10.02
21	South Carolina	531	5024369	9.97
22	Oregon	439	4142776	9.84
23	*South Dakota	83	869666	9.58
24	*Mississippi	295	2984100	9.56
25	Louisiana	444	4684333	9.21
26	New Hampshire	132	1342795	9.20
27	Indiana	604	6666818	8.78
28	Georgia	908	10429379	8.48
29	Washington	639	7405743	8.17
30	North Carolina	840	10273419	7.72
31	Texas	2158	28304596	7.60
32	Ohio	918	11658609	7.53
33	Virginia	672	8470020	7.51
34	Florida	1723	20984400	7.15
35	Pennsylvania	993	12805537	7.09
36	Wisconsin	435	5795483	7.06
37	Iowa	222	3145711	6.64
38	Nebraska	126	1920076	6.46
39	Michigan	682	9962311	6.33
40	Minnesota	365	5576606	6.33
41	Delaware	50	961939	4.95
42	Illinois	577	12802023	4.28
43	Maryland	271	6052177	4.13
44	California	1610	39536653	3.84
45	Rhode Island	33	1059639	2.87
46	Connecticut	109	3588184	2.77
47	New Jersey	204	9005644	2.11
48	Massachusetts	152	6859819	2.00
49	New York	433	19849399	2.00
50	Hawaii	30	1427538	1.82

Section 1

Tennessee Firearm Deaths – 2010 - 2017 - All Intents

YEAR	NUMBER OF DEATHS	POPULATION	RATE
2017	1,246	6,715,984	18.45
2016	1,148	6,651,194	16.99
2015	1,075	6,600,299	15.94
2014	1,016	6,547,779	15.10
2013	1,030	6,496,130	15.40
2012	995	6,455,469	14.93
2011	948	6,398,408	14.40
2010	932	6,346,113	14.42

Section 2

Tennessee Firearm Deaths – 2010 - 2017 - Homicide Only

YEAR	NUMBER OF DEATHS	POPULATION	RATE
2017	467	6,715,984	7.40
2016	434	6,651,194	6.73
2015	363	6,600,299	5.72
2014	315	6,547,779	4.95
2013	309	6,496,130	4.89
2012	327	6,455,469	5.16
2011	309	6,398,408	4.95
2010	293	6,346,113	4.67

Section 3

Tennessee Firearm Deaths – Suicide Only

YEAR	NUMBER OF DEATHS	POPULATION	RATE
2017	711	6,715,984	10.04
2016	675	6,651,194	9.67
2015	638	6,600,299	9.13
2014	644	6,547,779	9.31
2013	676	6,496,130	9.86
2012	626	6,455,469	9.14
2011	591	6,398,408	8.73
2010	585	6,346,113	8.93