471
gun deaths in New Mexico, including
40
children and teens
(ages 0-19)
34%
Homicides comprised 1/3 of gun deaths
60%
Suicides comprised 3/5 of gun deaths
85%
of gun death victims were male
4th
highest gun death rate in the country in 2019

GUN DEATHS BY INTENT, 2019

In 2019, 471 New Mexicans died by gun violence, an average of one person every day. Suicides were 60% of the gun deaths and homicides were 34%.

Number of deaths

TRENDS OVER TIME

The gun death rate in New Mexico has substantially increased over the second half of the decade. The rate increased 40% from 2014-2019 and was primarily due to a staggering rise in firearm homicides during that time period — the firearm homicide rate increased 115% from 2014 to 2019. The change in the firearm suicide rate from year to year has been consistently and steadily increasing, with only a few exceptions.

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

  • 10.67 to 18.77
  • 18.78 to 26.88
  • 26.89 to 34.99
  • 35.00 to 42.95
  • Suppressed /
    Unreliable

Among the counties in New Mexico, Catron County had the highest gun death rate, followed by Quay County and Eddy County.

Conversely, McKinley County had the lowest gun death rate, followed by Dona Ana County and Sandoval 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

158
firearm homicides in 2019, including
18
children and teens
8th
highest firearm homicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

1/3 of gun deaths were homicides in 2019.

Homicide by Method

More than 2/3 of homicides were committed with firearms in 2019.

Demographics

In New Mexico, young men of color are disproportionately impacted by firearm homicide. American Indian/Alaska Native, Black, and Hispanic/Latino males aged 15-34 all have higher firearm homicide rates than White males of the same age group.

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

FIREARM SUICIDES

284
firearm suicides in 2019, including
18
children and teens
4th
highest firearm suicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

3/5 of gun deaths were suicides in 2019.

Suicide by Method

More than half of all suicides were by firearm in 2019.

Demographics

White males ages 75+ are at highest risk for firearm suicide.

Note: Based on a five-year average (2014-2019).

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