1,367
gun deaths in Illinois, including
179
children and teens
(ages 0-19)
58%
Homicides comprised nearly three in every five gun deaths
40%
Suicides comprised two in five gun deaths
88%
of gun death victims were male
16th
lowest gun death rate in the country in 2019

GUN DEATHS BY INTENT, 2019

More than 1,300 people in Illinois died by gun violence in 2019, an average of nearly four people every day. Suicides were 40% of the gun deaths and homicides were 58%.

Number of deaths

TRENDS OVER TIME

Age-adjusted rate per 100,000

Total gun death rate
Firearm homicide rate
Firearm suicide rate

County Variations

Age-adjusted gun death rate per 100,000

  • 3.94 to 7.94
  • 7.95 to 11.95
  • 11.96 to 15.96
  • 15.97 to 19.98
  • Suppressed /
    Unreliable

Among the counties in Illinois, St. Clair County had the highest gun death rate, followed by Massac County and Vermilion County.

Conversely, DuPage County had the lowest gun death rate, followed by McLean County and Kendall 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

791
firearm homicides in 2019, including
148
children and teens
13th
highest firearm homicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

More than half of gun deaths were homicides in 2019.

Homicide by Method

More than 80% of homicides were by firearm in 2019.

Demographics

In Illinois, 90% of firearm homicide victims are male and Black males are disproportionately impacted. Black males aged 15-34 have a firearm homicide rate nearly 63 times higher than White  males of the same age group.

Note: Based on a five-year average (2015-2019).

FIREARM SUICIDES

540
firearm suicides in 2019, including
21
children and teens
8th
lowest firearm suicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

Nearly 2/5 of gun deaths were suicides in 2019.

Suicide by Method

Nearly 2/5 of suicides were by firearm in 2019.

Demographics

Older White men (aged 75+) are at highest risk for firearm suicide.

Note: Based on a five-year average (2015-2019).

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 2019, 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, 1999-2019. Available: http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html.

Last updated February 2021