Misc
Comparing Gun Laws and Gun-Related Deaths Across America
Comparing Gun Laws and Gun-Related Deaths Across America
In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to strike down concealed-gun legislation in New York sent shock waves through the country.
The decision brought renowned attention to the ongoing debate around America’s gun laws—one that Americans have grossly differing views on. This lack of consensus is apparent not just in public opinion, but in legislation, with U.S. firearm regulation varying greatly from state to state.
Which states have the strictest (and loosest) gun regulations around? This graphic by Elbie Bentley sets the ground for comparing gun laws across America before the impact of the Supreme Court’s ruling can be fully understood. It uses 2021 data from Giffords Law Center and contrasts against gun-related deaths in each state.
States With The Strictest Gun Laws
Since 2010, researchers at Giffords Law Center have been ranking state gun laws across America and seeing if there’s a correlation between stricter gun laws and lower gun-related deaths.
Here’s a look at the top 10 states with the strictest gun laws and their number of gun-related deaths in 2021:
Rank | State | Gun-Related Deaths in 2021 (per 100,000 people) | % Difference from National Average |
---|---|---|---|
1 | California | 8.5 | -37% |
2 | New Jersey | 5 | -63% |
3 | Connecticut | 6 | -56% |
4 | Hawaii | 3.4 | -75% |
5 | Massachusetts | 3.7 | -73% |
6 | New York | 5.3 | -61% |
7 | Mayland | 13.5 | -1% |
8 | Illinois | 14.1 | +3% |
9 | Rhode Island | 5.1 | -62% |
10 | Washington | 10.9 | -20% |
California has the strictest gun laws in the country. Some of the state’s most notable legislation is its proactive removal of firearms from people who are facing domestic violence charges, or from people that have domestic abuse protective orders filed against them.
In addition to having the strictest gun laws, California also has a relatively low rate of gun-related deaths, at 8.5 deaths per 100,000 people—37% below the national average.
Apart from Illinois, gun-related deaths in the 10 states with the strictest gun laws are all below the national average, with Hawaii ranking the lowest for gun-related deaths at 3.4 deaths per 100,000 people, or 75% below the national average.
States With The Loosest Gun Laws
On the opposite end of the spectrum, here’s a look at the 10 states with the loosest gun laws, and their number of gun-related deaths per 100,000 people:
Rank | State | Gun-Related Deaths in 2021 (per 100,000 people) | % Difference from National Average |
---|---|---|---|
41 | Alaska | 23.5 | +73% |
42(T) | Arizona | 16.7 | +22% |
42(T) | Kentucky | 20.1 | +48% |
44 | South Dakota | 13.6 | -0.4% |
45(T) | Kansas | 16.9 | +24% |
45(T) | Mississippi | 28.6 | +110% |
47 | Missouri | 23.9 | +75% |
48 | Idaho | 17.6 | +29% |
49 | Wyoming | 25.9 | +90% |
50 | Arkansas | 22.6 | +66% |
Apart from South Dakota, all states in the bottom 10 have an above-average rate of gun-related deaths. Mississippi has the highest death rate at 28.6 per 100,000, which is 110% above the national average.
In Mississippi, you don’t need a permit to carry a concealed gun—not even on university campuses. And a few years ago, the state passed a law allowing K-12 school employees to bring guns onto school grounds.
Polarizing Opinions and an Uncertain Future
The recent Supreme Court ruling came weeks after dozens were killed in a series of mass shootings across the country—including one in a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, and the other in an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.
Notably, some states have already reacted to the ruling by altering their gun laws. New York passed new legislation banning guns from notable public places, requiring applicants to prove they can use a gun, and requiring applicants to have their social media accounts reviewed. On the other hand, Maryland loosened its gun laws, directing law enforcement to be less restrictive for concealed carry applicants.
As all of the changes are still happening in rapid session, time will tell what the next annual review of U.S. gun laws shows about the country’s gun regulation landscape.

This article was published as a part of Visual Capitalist's Creator Program, which features data-driven visuals from some of our favorite Creators around the world.
Personal Finance
Mapped: Minimum Wage Around the World
This infographic shows the net minimum wage across 67 countries, as of January 2023. A breakdown by U.S. state is also included.

Mapped: Minimum Wage Around the World
The purpose of a minimum wage is to establish a baseline income level for workers in a given jurisdiction. Ideally it’s enough to cover basic needs like food and housing, but this isn’t always a guarantee.
To see how the minimum wage differs around the world, we’ve visualized data from Picodi, which includes values for 67 countries as of January 2023.
Monthly Minimum Wage, by Country
The following table includes all of the data used in this infographic.
Each value represents the monthly minimum wage a full-time worker would receive in each country. Picodi states that these figures are net of taxes and have been converted to USD.
Country | Increase compared to Jan 2022 | Minimum wage as of Jan 2023 (full-time, USD) |
---|---|---|
Cyprus | 104.5% | $854 |
Argentina | 100.0% | $336 |
Turkey | 32.5% | $457 |
Moldova | 27.1% | $180 |
Latvia | 25.8% | $555 |
Malaysia | 24.6% | $289 |
Pakistan | 24.5% | $111 |
Romania | 21.9% | $393 |
Germany | 21.2% | $1,594 |
Belarus | 18.8% | $189 |
Lithuania | 18.5% | $646 |
North Macedonia | 17.4% | $298 |
Mexico | 17.1% | $315 |
Chile | 16.9% | $369 |
Russia | 16.6% | $224 |
Kazakhstan | 16.4% | $131 |
Colombia | 16.0% | $249 |
Hungary | 15.3% | $383 |
Netherlands | 14.6% | $1,895 |
Poland | 14.3% | $584 |
Belgium | 14.3% | $1,509 |
Serbia | 14.2% | $347 |
Estonia | 14.2% | $704 |
Azerbaijan | 13.3% | $186 |
Albania | 12.9% | $265 |
Slovenia | 12.6% | $896 |
US | 12.0% | $1,550 |
Croatia | 11.9% | $571 |
Uzbekistan | 11.4% | $72 |
Paraguay | 11.4% | $323 |
Armenia | 10.3% | $138 |
Peru | 10.0% | $233 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 9.9% | $324 |
Bulgaria | 9.3% | $315 |
Luxembourg | 9.2% | $2,140 |
Philippines | 9.0% | $141 |
Uruguay | 8.9% | $424 |
Brazil | 8.5% | $232 |
India | 8.1% | $95 |
Indonesia | 7.9% | $173 |
Greece | 7.8% | $626 |
Portugal | 7.3% | $690 |
UK | 7.2% | $1,705 |
Slovakia | 6.9% | $572 |
South Africa | 6.6% | $226 |
France | 6.6% | $1,380 |
Czechia | 6.0% | $643 |
Vietnam | 5.7% | $162 |
Ecuador | 5.6% | $407 |
New Zealand | 5.4% | $1,866 |
Ireland | 5.1% | $1,753 |
Canada | 5.0% | $1,545 |
Thailand | 4.8% | $195 |
Australia | 4.7% | $2,022 |
South Korea | 4.6% | $1,333 |
Taiwan | 4.0% | $800 |
Bolivia | 3.9% | $284 |
Guatemala | 3.6% | $383 |
Malta | 3.1% | $788 |
Ukraine | 0.0% | $146 |
Israel | 0.0% | $1,389 |
Puerto Rico | 0.0% | $1,328 |
Hong Kong | 0.0% | $959 |
Saudi Arabia | 0.0% | $958 |
Spain | 0.0% | $925 |
Montenegro | 0.0% | $459 |
Nigeria | 0.0% | $68 |
Generally speaking, developed countries have a higher cost of living, and thus require a higher minimum wage.
Two outliers in this dataset are Argentina and Turkey, which have increased their minimum wages by 100% or more from January 2022 levels.
Turkey is suffering from an ongoing currency crisis, with the lira losing over 40% of its value in 2021. Prices of basic goods have increased considerably as the Turkish lira continues to plummet. In fact, a 2022 survey found that 70% of people in Turkey were struggling to pay for food.
Argentina, South America’s second-biggest economy, is also suffering from very high inflation. In response, the country announced three minimum wage increases throughout 2022.
Minimum Wage in the U.S.
Within the U.S., minimum wage varies significantly by state. We’ve visualized each state’s basic minimum rate (hourly) using January 2023 data from the U.S. Department of Labor.
2023-03-17 Update: This map was updated to fix several incorrect values. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.
America’s federal minimum wage has remained unchanged since 2009 at $7.25 per hour.
Each state is allowed to set their own minimum wage, as long as it’s higher than the federal minimum. In states that do not set their own minimum, the federal minimum applies.
If we assume someone works 40 hours a week, the federal minimum wage of $7.25 translates to an annual figure of just $15,080 before taxes. California’s minimum wage of $15.50 translates to $32,240 before taxes.
For further perspective, check out our 2022 infographic on the salary needed to buy a home across 50 U.S. cities.
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