757
gun deaths in Maryland, including
59
children and teens
(ages 0-19)
62%
Homicides comprised three in every five gun deaths
35%
Suicides comprised more than one in three gun deaths
92%
of gun death victims were male
23th
lowest gun death rate in the country in 2019

GUN DEATHS BY INTENT, 2019

More than 700 Marylanders died by gun violence in 2019, an average of two people every day. Suicides were 35% of the gun deaths and homicides were 62%.

Number of deaths

TRENDS OVER TIME

Over the last 10 years (2010-2019), the overall gun death rate in Maryland increased 15%. Increases in the homicide rate contributed to the overall change over the course of the decade; in that time period, the firearm homicide rate increased 31% while the firearm suicide rate decreased 2%.

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

  • 3.34 to 10.94
  • 10.95 to 18.55
  • 18.56 to 26.16
  • 26.17 to 33.79
  • Suppressed /
    Unreliable

Among the counties in Maryland, Baltimore city had the highest gun death rate, followed by Dorchester County and Cecil County.

Conversely, Montgomery County had the lowest gun death rate, followed by Howard County and Talbot 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

468
firearm homicides in 2019, including
50
children and teens
7th
highest firearm homicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

3/5 of gun deaths were homicides in 2019.

Homicide by Method

Over 80% of homicides were committed with firearms in 2019.

Demographics

In Maryland, young Black males are disproportionately impacted by firearm homicide. Black males aged 15-34 have a firearm homicide rate 38 times higher than White (non Latino) males of the same age group.

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

FIREARM SUICIDES

268
firearm suicides in 2019
9th
lowest firearm suicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

More than 1/3 of gun deaths were suicides in 2019.

Suicide by Method

More than 2/5 of suicides were by firearm in 2019.

Demographics

White (non Latino) males ages 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 March 2021