59
gun deaths in Hawaii
34%
Homicides comprised 1/3 of gun deaths
51%
Suicides comprised half of all gun deaths
83%
of gun death victims were male
3rd
lowest gun death rate in the country in 2018

GUN DEATHS BY INTENT, 2018

Nearly 60 people in Hawaii died by gun violence in 2018, an average of one person every week. Suicides were 51% of the gun deaths and homicides were 34%.

Number of deaths

TRENDS OVER TIME

Over the last 10 years (2009-2018), the overall gun death rate in Hawaii increased 19%, whereas the firearm suicide rate decreased 26%.

Age-adjusted rate per 100,000

Total gun death rate
Firearm homicide rate
Firearm suicide rate

Note: The CDC considers firearm homicide rates based on fewer than 20 deaths “statistically unreliable.” There were fewer than 20 firearm homicides reported from 2009-2015 and in 2017, therefore these data points are omitted from the graph above.

County Variations

Age-adjusted gun death rate per 100,000

  • 2.33 to 3.43
  • 3.44 to 4.54
  • 4.55 to 5.65
  • 5.66 to 6.82
  • Suppressed /
    Unreliable

Among the counties in Hawaii, Hawaii County had the highest gun death rate, followed by Kauai County.

Conversely, Honolulu County had the lowest gun death rate, followed by Maui County.

Notes:

  • The CDC suppresses data in which fewer than 10 deaths are reported in a given time frame and considers firearm death rates based on fewer than 20 deaths “statistically unreliable.” Counties that meet this criteria are labeled “Suppressed/Unreliable.”
  • Based on a ten-year average (2009-2018).

FIREARM HOMICIDES

20
firearm homicides in 2018
6th
lowest firearm homicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

1/3 of gun deaths were homicides in 2018.

Homicide by Method

Half of homicides were committed with firearms in 2018.

Demographics

In Hawaii, 75% of firearm homicide victims are male and Asian males are at highest risk.

Note: Based on a five-year average (2014-2018).

FIREARM SUICIDES

30
firearm suicides in 2018
2nd
lowest firearm suicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

Half of all gun deaths were suicides in 2018.

Suicide by Method

Nearly 1/5 of suicides were by firearm in 2018.

Demographics

White (non Latino) males are at highest risk for firearm suicide.

Note: Based on a five-year average (2014-2018).

RESOURCES

Additional Information

Notes

  • All rates listed are age-adjusted in order to allow for accurate comparisons between populations with different age distributions.
  • All data is from 2018, the most recent year of data available, unless otherwise indicated.
  • Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. WONDER Online Database, 1999-2018. Available: http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html.

Last updated September 2020