294
gun deaths in Idaho, including
19
children and teens
(ages 0-19)
11%
Homicides comprised one in ten gun deaths
85%
Suicides comprised the majority of gun deaths
83%
of gun death victims were male
17th
highest gun death rate in the country in 2018

GUN DEATHS BY INTENT, 2018

Nearly 300 Idahoans died by gun violence in 2018, an average of more than five people every week. Suicides were 85% of the gun deaths and homicides were 11%.

Number of deaths

TRENDS OVER TIME

Over the last 10 years (2009-2018), the overall gun death rate in Idaho increased 30%. Increases in the suicide rate contributed to the overall change over the course of the decade; in that time period, the firearm suicide rate increased 21%.

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 2009-2013 and in 2016, therefore these data points are omitted from the graph above.

County Variations

Age-adjusted gun death rate per 100,000

  • 7.24 to 12.34
  • 12.35 to 17.45
  • 17.46 to 22.56
  • 22.57 to 27.70
  • Suppressed /
    Unreliable

Among the counties in Idaho, Benewah County had the highest gun death rate, followed by Clearwater County and Shoshone County.

Conversely, Madison County had the lowest gun death rate, followed by Ada County and Latah 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 (2010-2019).

FIREARM HOMICIDES

31
firearm homicides in 2018
9th
lowest firearm homicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

11% of gun deaths were homicides in 2018.

Homicide by Method

3/4 of homicides were committed with firearms in 2018.

Demographics

In Idaho, 71% of firearm homicide victims are male and White (non Latino) males are at highest risk.

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

FIREARM SUICIDES

250
firearm suicides in 2018, including
17
children and teens
4th
highest firearm suicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

The majority of gun deaths were suicides in 2018.

Suicide by Method

3/5 of suicides were by firearm in 2018.

Demographics

White (non Latino) males ages 75+ 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