438
gun deaths in New Mexico, including
33
children and teens
(ages 0-19)
64%
Homicides comprised nearly 1/3 of gun deaths
31%
Suicides comprised nearly 2/3 of gun deaths
85%
of gun death victims were male
7th
highest gun death rate in the country in 2018

GUN DEATHS BY INTENT, 2018

More than 400 New Mexicans died by gun violence in 2018, an average of one person every day. Suicides were 64% of the gun deaths and homicides were 31%.

Number of deaths

TRENDS OVER TIME

Over the last 10 years (2009-2018), the overall gun death rate in New Mexico increased 43%. Increases in both homicide and suicide rates contributed to the overall change over the course of the decade; in that time period, the firearm homicide rate increased 51% and the firearm suicide rate increased 39%.

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

  • 10.85 to 18.75
  • 18.76 to 26.66
  • 26.67 to 34.57
  • 34.58 to 42.35
  • Suppressed /
    Unreliable

Among the counties in New Mexico, Catron County had the highest gun death rate, followed by Grant County and Sierra 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 (2009-2018).

FIREARM HOMICIDES

136
firearm homicides in 2018, including
16
children and teens
9th
highest firearm homicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

Nearly 1/3 of gun deaths were homicides in 2018.

Homicide by Method

More than 3/5 of homicides were committed with firearms in 2018.

Demographics

In New Mexico, 80% of firearm homicide victims are male and Black males are disproportionately impacted. Black males aged 15-34 have a firearm homicide rate 3 times higher than White (non Latino) males of the same age group.

Note: Based on a five-year average (2014-2018).

FIREARM SUICIDES

281
firearm suicides in 2018, including
15
children and teens
6th
highest firearm suicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

Nearly 2/3 of gun deaths were suicides in 2018.

Suicide by Method

Half of all suicides were by firearm in 2018.

Demographics

White (non Latino) males ages 75+ are at highest risk for firearm suicide.

Note: Based on a five-year average (2014-2018).

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 2018, 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, 1999-2018. Available: http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html.

Last updated September 2020