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Policy

STATE REPORT
CARD

Giffords Law Center grades all 50 states on the strength of their gun laws. States with stronger laws have dramatically lower gun death rates.

7.2
gun deaths per 100k
Average in A & B grade states
21.8
gun deaths per 100k
Average in D & F grade states

Grade Scale

AA-B+BB-C+CC-DD-F

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50 states

State Grades

CACaliforniaA8.5/100k
CTConnecticutA5.3/100k
HIHawaiiA3.4/100k
ILIllinoisA13.8/100k
MDMarylandA13/100k
MAMassachusettsA3.7/100k
NJNew JerseyA5.3/100k
NYNew YorkA5/100k
COColoradoA-14.6/100k
WAWashingtonA-11.1/100k
OROregonB+14.3/100k
DEDelawareB11.4/100k
MNMinnesotaB9.5/100k
RIRhode IslandB5.1/100k
VAVirginiaB12.3/100k
VTVermontB-9.8/100k
MEMaineC+11.4/100k
MIMichiganC+14.9/100k
GAGeorgiaC17.3/100k
NMNew MexicoC22.7/100k
PAPennsylvaniaC14.5/100k
IAIowaC-11.7/100k
FLFloridaD14.4/100k
NCNorth CarolinaD15.9/100k
NVNevadaD15.5/100k
NHNew HampshireD-9.2/100k
WIWisconsinD-14.2/100k
AKAlaskaF24.4/100k
ALAlabamaF26.4/100k
ARArkansasF23.3/100k
AZArizonaF16.7/100k
IDIdahoF16.2/100k
INIndianaF17.7/100k
KSKansasF16.8/100k
KYKentuckyF22.8/100k
LALouisianaF26.3/100k
MOMissouriF24/100k
MSMississippiF28.6/100k
MTMontanaF22.5/100k
NDNorth DakotaF14/100k
NENebraskaF13/100k
OHOhioF16.9/100k
OKOklahomaF22.4/100k
SCSouth CarolinaF19.8/100k
SDSouth DakotaF14.6/100k
TNTennesseeF20.4/100k
TXTexasF14.2/100k
UTUtahF14.7/100k
WVWest VirginiaF22.7/100k
WYWyomingF18.5/100k

Detailed Data

StateGradeDeaths/100kDetails
CA
A8.5
CT
A5.3
HI
A3.4
IL
A13.8
MD
A13
MA
A3.7
NJ
A5.3
NY
A5
CO
A-14.6
WA
A-11.1
OR
B+14.3
DE
B11.4
MN
B9.5
RI
B5.1
VA
B12.3
VT
B-9.8
ME
C+11.4
MI
C+14.9
GA
C17.3
NM
C22.7
PA
C14.5
IA
C-11.7
FL
D14.4
NC
D15.9
NV
D15.5
NH
D-9.2
WI
D-14.2
AK
F24.4
AL
F26.4
AR
F23.3
AZ
F16.7
ID
F16.2
IN
F17.7
KS
F16.8
KY
F22.8
LA
F26.3
MO
F24
MS
F28.6
MT
F22.5
ND
F14
NE
F13
OH
F16.9
OK
F22.4
SC
F19.8
SD
F14.6
TN
F20.4
TX
F14.2
UT
F14.7
WV
F22.7
WY
F18.5

What Do These Grades Measure?

Giffords grades state gun laws on 50+ policy factors, including universal background checks, permit requirements, waiting periods, red flag laws, safe storage requirements, assault weapons restrictions, and more. Higher grades reflect stronger legal protections — and, consistently, lower rates of gun death.

Full methodology at giffords.org

Key Finding

24 states received an F grade in 2023. These states contain roughly 40% of the U.S. population — and average nearly three times the gun death rate of A-grade states.

Sources: CDC WISQARS 2022, Giffords Law Center 2023 Scorecard. Gun death rates are age-adjusted per 100,000 population.