How Gun Sales Have Changed Over the Past Decade in Each State

To look at the how gun sales have changed over the past decade, GOBankingRates used the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) “Firearm Checks: Month/Year by State” dataset. States like Wisconsin and Delaware have seen the greatest change, while states like Connecticut and Kentucky have seen the lowest change.

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The NICS is under the jurisdiction of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Nearly everyone put through this system qualifies as a buyer. Typically, those who are excluded are those with criminal records. Of the more than 310 million checks that have been done since 1998, there have only been 1.5 million denials. Therefore, the data is the best proxy for U.S. gun sales available. However, it does not reflect private sales between non-licensed dealers.

Read on to discover how gun sales have changed over the past decade in each state.

• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 308,607
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 1,085,475
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 776,868
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 251.73%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 65,909
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 98,952
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 33,043
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 50.13%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 206,050
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 665,458
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 459,408
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 222.96%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 191,448
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 324,741
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 133,293
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 69.62%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 816,399
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 1,601,054
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 784,655
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 96.11%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 300,820
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 680,507
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 379,687
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 126.22%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 179,595
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 219,227
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 39,632
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 22.07%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 19,240
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 77,057
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 57,817
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 300.50%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 559,347
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 1,912,204
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 1,352,857
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 241.86%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 333,247
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 904,035
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 570,788
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 171.28%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 10,533
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 20,102
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 9,569
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 90.85%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 92,031
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 281,284
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 189,253
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 205.64%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 695,300
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 7,455,065
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 6,759,765
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 972.21%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 345,650
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 1,935,587
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 1,589,937
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 459.98%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 124,738
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 270,614
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 145,876
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 116.95%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 144,156
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 249,589
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 105,433
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 73.14%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 2,385,579
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 3,330,462
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 944,883
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 39.61%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 239,204
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 430,537
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 191,333
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 79.99%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 65,988
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 137,149
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 71,161
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 107.84%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 88,162
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 302,563
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 214,401
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 243.19%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 115,904
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 262,583
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 146,679
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 126.55%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 348,200
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 1,068,511
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 720,311
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 206.87%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 297,390
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 958,391
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 661,001
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 222.27%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 169,873
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 366,829
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 196,956
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 115.94%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 349,672
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 708,184
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 358,512
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 102.53%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 101,789
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 172,695
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 71,600
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 70.82%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 58,283
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 104,511
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 46,228
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 79.32%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 104,789
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 219,349
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 114,560
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 109.32%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 79,940
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 174,662
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 94,722
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 118.49%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 50,522
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 177,901
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 127,379
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 252.13%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 109,069
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 206,252
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 97,183
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 89.10%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 241,495
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 507,940
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 266,455
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 110.33%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 331,637
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 890,284
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 558,501
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 168.45%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 47,083
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 85,465
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 38,382
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 81.52%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 393,250
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 976,751
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 583,501
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 148.38%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 233,909
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 470,286
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 236,377
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 79.99%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 184,835
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 516,096
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 331,261
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 179.22%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 626,677
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 1,452,921
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 826,244
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 131.85%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 14,835
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 51,369
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 36,534
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 246.27%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 201,628
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 530,930
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 329,302
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 163.32%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 63,151
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 115,448
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 52,297
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 82.81%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 411,024
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 984,760
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 573,736
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 139.59%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 968,071
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 2,325,281
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 1,357,210
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 140.20%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 553,134
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 1,216,773
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 663,639
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 119.98%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 24,276
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 57,965
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 33,689
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 138.77%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 320,783
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 823,513
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 502,730
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 156.72%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 335,342
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 781,471
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 446,129
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 133.04%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 159,550
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 265,705
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 106,155
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 66.53%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 194,797
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 731,705
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 536,821
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 275.58%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 47,709
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 91,384
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 43,675
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 91.54%

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• 2010 NICS Firearm background checks: 14,310,275
• 2020 NICS firearm background checks: 39,288,975
• Number change in NICS firearm background checks: 24,978,700
• Percent change in NICS firearm background checks: 174.55%

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Methodology: For this piece GOBankingRates used the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) “Firearm Checks: Month/Year by State” dataset to discover how gun sales have changed over the past decade in each state. First, GOBankingRates found each state’s (1) 2010 NICS total firearm background checks and (2) 2020 NICS total firearm background checks. Then, GOBankingRates found for each state (3) the total numerical change in NICS firearm background checks from 2010 to 2020 and (4) the percent change in total NICS firearm background checks from 2010 to 2020. The NICS is under the jurisdiction of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Each month, the figures are reported by state. Nearly everyone put through this system qualifies as a buyer. People who are excluded usually have criminal records. Of the more than 310 million checks that have been done since 1998, there have only been 1.5 million denials. Therefore, the data is the best proxy for U.S. gun sales available. However, only licensed dealers are required to run background checks, so private sales between individuals will not be captured. All data was collected on and up to date as of March 23, 2021.