Summary
The most gun friendly state in the United States is Arizona.
The least gun friendly state in the United States is Delaware.
There are 393,347,000 guns in the United States
149,146 Americans are employed by the U.S. firearm industry.
The U.S. gun industry pays more than $6.2 billion a year in wages.
The total economic impact of the U.S. gun industry totals $21 billion.
For many in America, guns are a way of life and part of their cultural and national identity. However, the gun industry also creates a lot of jobs and is an economic powerhouse in the US. How many job exactly? 149,146 jobs in 2019, which paid over $6,227,108,200 in wages, and over $21 billion in economic impact. Yes, that’s billion with a B.
However, not all states are experiencing the same economic impact from guns. In fact, many states and cities within them have strong gun restrictions.
It made us wonder, which states are the most gun-friendly and have the strongest gun industry? Where should someone looking for a job in the firearms industry look? We hit the numbers to answer all of these questions.
Most 2nd Amendment Friendly States
- Arizona
- Idaho
- Texas
- Arkansas
- New Hampshire
- Georgia
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- South Carolina
Notice anything these have in common?
Yup, the south and Midwest dominate the list– thanks to a combination of gun friendly laws, high gun ownership, and strong economic activity surrounding the firearm industry. Keep reading to see how these states earned their spot– and which states are the least gun friendly.
How We Determined These Results
We ranked each state on:
- Number of firearm jobs
- Average Wage of firearm jobs
- Guns per Capita
- Gun laws/restrictions
First we examined the economic output of guns in each state, using the most recent data from The Firearms Industry And Trade Report. From here we ranked each state on the number of firearms jobs directly created by the gun industry (think manufacturers of firearms, ammunition, and supplies, and companies that distribute or sell these products). After that we found the average firearm job wage. Since higher wage is typically correlated with higher positions, this helps identify both which states offer the best opportunities in the industry, as well as which states have more administrative/higher-up positions.
Guns per capita came from the World Population Review. The more guns owned, the more gun friendly the state.
To determine which states had the least gun restrictions, we looked at data from Gifford’s Law Center. The less gun restrictions, the more gun friendly that state. This factor counted twice in the rankings.
1.Arizona
Guns Per Capita: 25.61
Gun Friendly Laws: #6
Gun Jobs: 3,476
Average Wage: $51,985
Arizona is the most pro-gun state in the nation. While Arizona only has 3,476 people employed from the gun industry, they pull in a solid average salary of $51,985. Arizona also has the 6th loosest fun laws in the nation.
2. Idaho
Guns Per Capita: 28.86
Gun Friendly Laws: 2
Gun Jobs: 3610
Average Wage: $40,937.92
Idaho has some of the least restrictive gun laws in the nation, nabbing it the #2 spot. Idaho is a fairly sparsely populated state, with lots of outdoor area to enjoy hunting and the other gun sports.
3. Texas
Guns Per Capita: 20.79
Gun Friendly Laws: 14
Gun Jobs: 11467
Average Wage: $36,018.78
Surprised to see Texas in the top 10 list? Then you don’t know Texas. Texans love their guns and their freedom to choose how they arm themselves with them. Texas also has the highest number of gun jobs in the nation.
4. Arkansas
Guns Per Capita: 26.57
Gun Friendly Laws: 10
Gun Jobs: 3101
Average Wage: $40,979.36
Arkansas is fourth most pro-gun state in the country. This Southern state has a high level of gun ownership, no doubt helped by lax gun restrictions.
5. New Hampshire
Guns Per Capita: 46.76
Gun Friendly Laws: 21
Gun Jobs: 2551
Average Wage: $77,343.67
New Hampshire is the only Northeastern state to make the top 10. What earned New Hampshire their unexpected spot on the list? They have the second highest gun ownership in the nation! While they may have more restrictions than the rest of the top 10 on ownership, compared to their neighboring states, they are far less stringent.
6. Georgia
Guns Per Capita: 18.22
Gun Friendly Laws: 18
Gun Jobs: 4519
Average Wage: $36,251.47
Georgia is the 6th most pro-gun state in the country. No one area pushed the Peach state to the top- rather a general gun positive atmosphere and solid ranking in each category.
7. Alabama
Guns Per Capita: 33.15
Gun Friendly Laws: 13
Gun Jobs: 3105
Average Wage: $35,309.57
Down in the deep south is Alabama, the 7th most pro-gun state in the nation. Alabama is a state that is proud to be country, with all the trappings that come with it, including gun ownership.
8. Mississippi
Guns Per Capita: 11.89
Gun Friendly Laws: 1
Gun Jobs: 2324
Average Wage: $41,558.43
Mississippi is the 9th most pro-state in the nation and has the friendliest gun laws in the nation. Workers in the firearms industry pull in an annual salary of $41,558 a year.
9. Missouri
Guns Per Capita: 11.94
Gun Friendly Laws: 4
Gun Jobs: 5513
Average Wage: $29,516.38
Missouri is either a southern or Midwestern state depending on who you ask. Since both regions are known for their love of guns and gun ownership, it should be no surprise to see Missouri is the 9th most pro-gun state. Missouri has the 6th highest number of gun jobs in the country and permitless carry.
10. South Carolina
Guns Per Capita: 21.01
Gun Friendly Laws: 20
Gun Jobs: 2957
Average Wage: $42,023.47
South Carolina is the 10th most gun friendly state in the US. South Carolina has less gun restrictions than most states and a decent bit of economic activity from the gun industry.
Summary On The Most Gun Friendly States
These are the most gun-friendly states in the nation. As a region the south and Midwest take the cake for the most gun friendly states. As a whole, these states have less gun restrictions and strong economic activity from the gun industry.
Least Gun Friendly States
- Delaware
- Hawaii
- Iowa
- Rhode Island
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- Vermont
- Nevada
- Maryland
- Nebraska
Best (And Worst) States For Guns, From Best To Worst
| State | Guns Per Capita | Gun Laws Rank | Gun Jobs | Average Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | 25 | 6 | 3,476 | $51,984.81 |
| Idaho | 28 | 2 | 3,610 | $40,937.92 |
| Texas | 20 | 14 | 11,467 | $36,018.78 |
| Arkansas | 26 | 10 | 3,101 | $40,979.36 |
| New Hampshire | 46 | 21 | 2,551 | $77,343.67 |
| Georgia | 18 | 18 | 4,519 | $36,251.47 |
| Alabama | 33 | 13 | 3,105 | $35,309.57 |
| Mississippi | 11 | 1 | 2,324 | $41,558.43 |
| Missouri | 11 | 4 | 5,513 | $29,516.38 |
| South Carolina | 21 | 20 | 2,957 | $42,023.47 |
| Utah | 23 | 24 | 3,108 | $44,615.15 |
| Florida | 16 | 29 | 7,107 | $37,392.43 |
| North Carolina | 14 | 26 | 5,146 | $36,647.10 |
| Virginia | 36 | 25 | 2,806 | $35,150.68 |
| Minnesota | 14 | 38 | 4,757 | $65,399.47 |
| Wyoming | 229 | 2 | 676 | $30,489.20 |
| Pennsylvania | 18 | 39 | 6,107 | $38,746.93 |
| Kentucky | 18 | 4 | 2,069 | $31,238.96 |
| Kansas | 18 | 8 | 2,713 | $27,331.18 |
| South Dakota | 24 | 7 | 1,028 | $32,461.09 |
| Oregon | 14 | 35 | 2,885 | $67,613.10 |
| Ohio | 14 | 26 | 6,407 | $30,281.85 |
| Illinois | 11 | 43 | 5,286 | $57,826.90 |
| Louisiana | 24 | 18 | 2,437 | $29,681.99 |
| Tennessee | 14 | 22 | 3,175 | $34,714.05 |
| Montana | 21 | 14 | 1,427 | $30,712.12 |
| Massachusetts | 5 | 44 | 3,676 | $73,447.91 |
| Connecticut | 22 | 48 | 2,289 | $75,285.41 |
| Oklahoma | 18 | 10 | 2,216 | $25,425.54 |
| California | 8 | 50 | 9,196 | $45,567.88 |
| Alaska | 21 | 9 | 717 | $27,926.36 |
| New York | 3 | 47 | 3,745 | $67,377.36 |
| Michigan | 6 | 31 | 4,230 | $33,724.80 |
| Indiana | 17 | 23 | 3,037 | $25,738.20 |
| Maine | 11 | 14 | 1,376 | $30,924.85 |
| West Virginia | 19 | 14 | 817 | $21,961.93 |
| Colorado | 16 | 37 | 2,471 | $36,536.22 |
| North Dakota | 17 | 12 | 529 | $28,326.47 |
| Wisconsin | 11 | 30 | 2,619 | $34,146.39 |
| Washington | 12 | 41 | 3,688 | $32,900.81 |
| Maryland | 17 | 45 | 1,599 | $57,811.19 |
| Nebraska | 11 | 33 | 1,831 | $37,930.75 |
| Nevada | 25 | 35 | 1,405 | $27,914.23 |
| Vermont | 9 | 28 | 357 | $47,165.55 |
| New Mexico | 46 | 34 | 733 | $20,482.26 |
| New Jersey | 6 | 49 | 1,145 | $62,275.46 |
| Iowa | 9 | 31 | 1,171 | $27,291.37 |
| Rhode Island | 3 | 42 | 197 | $87,691.37 |
| Hawaii | 5 | 46 | 178 | $33,517.42 |
| Delaware | 5 | 40 | 163 | $24,142.94 |
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Author
Kathy Morris
Kathy is the head of content at Zippia with a knack for engaging audiences. Prior to joining Zippia, Kathy worked at Gateway Blend growing audiences across diverse brands. She graduated from Troy University with a degree in Social Science Education.
