GUN DEATHS BY INTENT, 2019
Over 200 Montanans died by gun violence in 2019, an average of four people every week. Suicides were 82% of the gun deaths and homicides were 11%.
TRENDS OVER TIME
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 2010-2014 and in 2016, therefore these data points are omitted from the graph above.
County Variations
Age-adjusted gun death rate per 100,000
- 14.14 to 20.44
- 20.45 to 26.75
- 26.76 to 33.06
- 33.07 to 39.14
- Suppressed /
Unreliable
[{"county":"Beaverhead","data":"20.36","test":20.36,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Big Horn","data":"26.66","test":26.66,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Blaine","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Broadwater","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Carbon","data":"27.71","test":27.71,"label":"leg-2"},{"county":"Carter","data":"Suppressed","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Cascade","data":"14.98","test":14.98,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Chouteau","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Custer","data":"18.32","test":18.32,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Daniels","data":"Suppressed","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Dawson","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Deer Lodge","data":"39.14","test":39.14,"label":"leg-3"},{"county":"Fallon","data":"Suppressed","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Fergus","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Flathead","data":"17.51","test":17.51,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Gallatin","data":"14.14","test":14.14,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Garfield","data":"Suppressed","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Glacier","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Golden Valley","data":"Suppressed","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Granite","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Hill","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Jefferson","data":"18.56","test":18.56,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Judith Basin","data":"Suppressed","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Lake","data":"24.02","test":24.02,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Lewis and Clark","data":"16.79","test":16.79,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Liberty","data":"Suppressed","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Lincoln","data":"30.87","test":30.87,"label":"leg-2"},{"county":"Madison","data":"Suppressed","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"McCone","data":"Suppressed","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Meagher","data":"Suppressed","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Mineral","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Missoula","data":"16","test":16,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Musselshell","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Park","data":"21.63","test":21.63,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Petroleum","data":"Suppressed","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Phillips","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Pondera","data":"Suppressed","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Powder River","data":"Suppressed","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Powell","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Prairie","data":"Suppressed","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Ravalli","data":"21.62","test":21.62,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Richland","data":"19.65","test":19.65,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Roosevelt","data":"19.84","test":19.84,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Rosebud","data":"23.89","test":23.89,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Sanders","data":"21.25","test":21.25,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Sheridan","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Silver Bow","data":"21.75","test":21.75,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Stillwater","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Sweet Grass","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Teton","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Toole","data":"Suppressed","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Treasure","data":"Suppressed","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Valley","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Wheatland","data":"Suppressed","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Wibaux","data":"Suppressed","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Yellowstone","data":"16.47","test":16.47,"label":"leg-0"}]
Among the counties in Montana, Deer Lodge County had the highest gun death rate, followed by Lincoln County and Carbon County.
Conversely, Gallatin County had the lowest gun death rate, followed by Cascade County and Missoula County.
FIREARM HOMICIDES
24
firearm homicides in 2019
11th
lowest firearm homicide rate in the U.S.
Gun Deaths by Intent
11% of gun deaths were homicides in 2019.
Homicide by Method
3/5 of homicides were committed with firearms in 2019.
Demographics
In Montana, American Indian/Alaska Native males are at highest risk of firearm homicide.
Note: Based on a five-year average (2015-2019).
FIREARM SUICIDES
172
firearm suicides in 2019, including
14
children and teens
3rd
highest firearm suicide rate in the U.S.
Gun Deaths by Intent
The majority of gun deaths were suicides in 2019.
Suicide by Method
3/5 of suicides were by firearm in 2019.
Demographics
In Montana, White males are at highest for firearm suicide, followed by Hispanic/Latino males and American Indian/Alaska Native males.
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
