1,397
gun deaths in North Carolina, including
116
children and teens
(ages 0-19)
39%
Homicides comprised nearly 2/5 of gun deaths
56%
Suicides comprised over 50% of gun deaths
86%
of gun death victims were male
24th
highest gun death rate in the country in 2019

GUN DEATHS BY INTENT, 2019

Nearly 1,400 North Carolinians died by gun violence in 2019, an average of nearly four people every day. Suicides were 56% of the gun deaths and homicides were 39%.

Number of deaths

TRENDS OVER TIME

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

  • 6.31 to 12.11
  • 12.12 to 17.92
  • 17.93 to 23.73
  • 23.74 to 29.58
  • Suppressed /
    Unreliable

Among the counties in North Carolina, Vance County had the highest gun death rate, followed by Robeson County and Graham County.

Conversely, Orange County had the lowest gun death rate, followed by Wake County and Duplin 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

541
firearm homicides in 2019, including
76
children and teens
16th
highest firearm homicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

Nearly 2/5 of gun deaths were homicides in 2019.

Homicide by Method

More than 3/4 of homicides were by firearm in 2019.

Demographics

In North Carolina, young Black males are disproportionately impacted by firearm homicide. Black males aged 15-34 have a firearm homicide rate 15 times higher than White males of the same age group.

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

FIREARM SUICIDES

781
firearm suicides in 2019, including
32
children and teens
16th
lowest firearm suicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

More than half of all gun deaths were suicides in 2019.

Suicide by Method

Nearly 3/5 of suicides were by firearm in 2019.

Demographics

In North Carolina, White males ages 75+ and American Indian/Alaska Native males 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 January 2021