These Are the Only 3 States Where Gun Sales Are Up This Year

Gun sales in America jumped from the point the COVID-19 pandemic began, setting all-time records according to numbers from the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System, which are often used as a proxy for sales. But recently they have collapsed compared with 2021 — they're down every month of 2022 so far. Sales rose in only three states in the first six months of this year compared with the first six months of 2021. We ranked all 50 states from the biggest increase in gun sales to the biggest decline during that period.

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Rank: 1

Percent Change in Gun Sales: 26.8%

Kentucky has had by far the biggest increase in gun sales this year, with 443,345 more background checks in the first half of 2022 than in the first half of 2021.

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Rank: 2

Percent Change in Gun Sales: 5.7%

Gun sales were up in Hawaii, as well, in the first half of the year — but still the lowest of any state in the country.

Rank: 3

Percent Change in Gun Sales: 3.0%

Washington tallied 11,802 more firearms background checks (used as a proxy for gun sales) in the first half of 2022 than in the first half of 2021.

Rank: 4

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -8.4%

Gun sales have decreased in Delaware this year, but it had the smallest percent decline in the nation. Read on to see where your state ranks.

Rank: 5

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -8.6%

Rank: 6

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -9.6%

Rank: 7

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -10.1%

Rank: 8

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -15.2%

Rank: 9

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -15.8%

Rank: 10

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -16.2%

Rank: 11

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -17.1%

Rank: 12

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -17.1%

Rank: 13

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -17.4%

Rank: 14

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -17.7%

Rank: 15

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -18.0%

Rank: 16

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -18.4%

Rank: 17

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -18.5%

Rank: 18

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -18.9%

Rank: 19

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -19.3%

Rank: 20

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -19.4%

Rank: 21

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -19.6%

Rank: 22

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -19.6%

Rank: 23

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -19.8%

Rank: 24

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -19.8%

Rank: 25

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -19.9%

Rank: 26

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -20.0%

Rank: 27

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -20.4%

Rank: 28

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -20.7%

Rank: 29

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -20.9%

Rank: 30

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -21.7%

Rank: 31

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -21.9%

Rank: 32

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -21.9%

Rank: 33

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -22.2%

Rank: 34

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -22.6%

Rank: 35

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -22.6%

Rank: 36

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -22.9%

Rank: 37

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -23.0%

Rank: 38

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -24.4%

Rank: 39

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -24.5%

Rank: 40

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -26.1%

Rank: 41

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -26.7%

Rank: 42

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -27.1%

Rank: 43

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -27.4%

Rank: 44

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -28.1%

Rank: 45

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -28.7%

Rank: 46

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -33.7%

Rank: 47

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -34.6%

Rank: 48

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -40.1%

Rank: 49

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -45.0%

Rank: 50

Percent Change in Gun Sales: -65.9%

Sales dropped the most in Illinois, where they were down by 66% in the first half of the year. No other state had a decline of more than 50%.

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