247
gun deaths in Massachusetts, including
18
children and teens
(ages 0-19)
38%
Homicides comprised two in every five gun deaths
57%
Suicides comprised nearly three in five gun deaths
88%
of gun death victims were male
1st
lowest gun death rate in the country in 2019

GUN DEATHS BY INTENT, 2019

Almost 250 people in Massachusetts died by gun violence in 2019, an average of five people every week. Suicides were 57% of the gun deaths and homicides were 38%.

Number of deaths

TRENDS OVER TIME

Over the last 10 years (2010-2019), the overall gun death rate in Massachusetts increased 11%. 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 44%, while the firearm homicide rate decreased 29%.

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

  • 1.83 to 2.93
  • 2.94 to 4.04
  • 4.05 to 5.15
  • 5.16 to 6.32
  • Suppressed /
    Unreliable

Among the counties in Massachusetts, Hampden County had the highest gun death rate, followed by Berkshire County and Suffolk County.

Conversely, Middlesex County had the lowest gun death rate, followed by Norfolk County and Hampshire 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

95
firearm homicides in 2019, including
12
children and teens
1st
lowest firearm homicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

2/5 of gun deaths were homicides in 2019.

Homicide by Method

3/5 of homicides were committed with firearms in 2019.

Demographics

In Massachusetts, almost 90% of firearm homicide victims are male and Black males are disproportionately impacted. Black males aged 15-34 have a firearm homicide rate 22 times higher than White (non Latino) males of the same age group.

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

FIREARM SUICIDES

142
firearm suicides in 2019
2nd
lowest firearm suicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

Nearly 3/5 of gun deaths were suicides in 2019.

Suicide by Method

1/5 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