GUN DEATHS BY INTENT, 2019
More than 1,200 Tennesseans died by gun violence in 2019, an average of more than three people every day. Suicides were 59% of the gun deaths and homicides were 37%.
TRENDS OVER TIME
The total gun death rate increased modestly from 2018 to 2019, primarily due to the rise in firearm suicides, reaching its second-highest rate over the course of the decade. In 2019, the firearm suicide rate in Tennessee reached its highest peak in the decade. While 2019 showed a slight reprieve in the firearm homicide rate, the rate remained higher than the national average and 1.6 times higher than the rate at the start of the decade, in 2010.
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
- 8.50 to 14.20
- 14.21 to 19.91
- 19.92 to 25.62
- 25.63 to 31.33
- Suppressed /
Unreliable
[{"county":"Anderson","data":"14.83","test":14.83,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Bedford","data":"13.27","test":13.27,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Benton","data":"20.53","test":20.53,"label":"leg-2"},{"county":"Bledsoe","data":"17.52","test":17.52,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Blount","data":"11.37","test":11.37,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Bradley","data":"12.12","test":12.12,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Campbell","data":"14.11","test":14.11,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Cannon","data":"18.33","test":18.33,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Carroll","data":"16.28","test":16.28,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Carter","data":"14.48","test":14.48,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Cheatham","data":"20.36","test":20.36,"label":"leg-2"},{"county":"Chester","data":"16.75","test":16.75,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Claiborne","data":"21.36","test":21.36,"label":"leg-2"},{"county":"Clay","data":"31.33","test":31.33,"label":"leg-3"},{"county":"Cocke","data":"16.79","test":16.79,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Coffee","data":"15.18","test":15.18,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Crockett","data":"19.31","test":19.31,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Cumberland","data":"20.13","test":20.13,"label":"leg-2"},{"county":"Davidson","data":"15.13","test":15.13,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Decatur","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"DeKalb","data":"17.05","test":17.05,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Dickson","data":"19.33","test":19.33,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Dyer","data":"12.85","test":12.85,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Fayette","data":"15.37","test":15.37,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Fentress","data":"13.17","test":13.17,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Franklin","data":"15.74","test":15.74,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Gibson","data":"16.32","test":16.32,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Giles","data":"20.93","test":20.93,"label":"leg-2"},{"county":"Grainger","data":"12.09","test":12.09,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Greene","data":"14.1","test":14.1,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Grundy","data":"24.22","test":24.22,"label":"leg-2"},{"county":"Hamblen","data":"14.16","test":14.16,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Hamilton","data":"15.42","test":15.42,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Hancock","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Hardeman","data":"16.14","test":16.14,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Hardin","data":"23.44","test":23.44,"label":"leg-2"},{"county":"Hawkins","data":"15.19","test":15.19,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Haywood","data":"14.76","test":14.76,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Henderson","data":"13.84","test":13.84,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Henry","data":"24.49","test":24.49,"label":"leg-2"},{"county":"Hickman","data":"18.15","test":18.15,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Houston","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Humphreys","data":"20.97","test":20.97,"label":"leg-2"},{"county":"Jackson","data":"14.47","test":14.47,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Jefferson","data":"10.85","test":10.85,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Johnson","data":"16.98","test":16.98,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Knox","data":"13.27","test":13.27,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Lake","data":"Suppressed","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Lauderdale","data":"18.35","test":18.35,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Lawrence","data":"17.92","test":17.92,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Lewis","data":"29.47","test":29.47,"label":"leg-3"},{"county":"Lincoln","data":"12.75","test":12.75,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Loudon","data":"9.96","test":9.96,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Macon","data":"22.48","test":22.48,"label":"leg-2"},{"county":"Madison","data":"16.86","test":16.86,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Marion","data":"15.36","test":15.36,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Marshall","data":"15.14","test":15.14,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Maury","data":"15.18","test":15.18,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"McMinn","data":"16.22","test":16.22,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"McNairy","data":"19.7","test":19.7,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Meigs","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Monroe","data":"16.17","test":16.17,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Montgomery","data":"17.37","test":17.37,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Moore","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Morgan","data":"17.9","test":17.9,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Obion","data":"15.04","test":15.04,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Overton","data":"16.22","test":16.22,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Perry","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Pickett","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Polk","data":"21.66","test":21.66,"label":"leg-2"},{"county":"Putnam","data":"13.92","test":13.92,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Rhea","data":"16.28","test":16.28,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Roane","data":"18.03","test":18.03,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Robertson","data":"15.42","test":15.42,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Rutherford","data":"11.88","test":11.88,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Scott","data":"20.63","test":20.63,"label":"leg-2"},{"county":"Sequatchie","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Sevier","data":"12.01","test":12.01,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Shelby","data":"23.46","test":23.46,"label":"leg-2"},{"county":"Smith","data":"15.28","test":15.28,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Stewart","data":"28.71","test":28.71,"label":"leg-3"},{"county":"Sullivan","data":"13.6","test":13.6,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Sumner","data":"13.07","test":13.07,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Tipton","data":"13.77","test":13.77,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Trousdale","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Unicoi","data":"16.51","test":16.51,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Union","data":"20.2","test":20.2,"label":"leg-2"},{"county":"Van Buren","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Warren","data":"15.14","test":15.14,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Washington","data":"12.31","test":12.31,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Wayne","data":"15.57","test":15.57,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Weakley","data":"17.59","test":17.59,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"White","data":"18.59","test":18.59,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Williamson","data":"8.5","test":8.5,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Wilson","data":"12.13","test":12.13,"label":"leg-0"}]
Among the counties in Tennessee, Clay County had the highest gun death rate, followed by Lewis County and Stewart County.
Conversely, Williamson County had the lowest gun death rate, followed by Loudon County and Jefferson County.
FIREARM HOMICIDES
504
firearm homicides in 2019, including
94
children and teens
7th
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
4/5 of homicides were committed with firearms in 2019.
Demographics
In Tennessee, young Black males are disproportionately impacted by firearm homicide. Black males aged 15-34 have a firearm homicide rate 16 times higher than White males of the same age group.
Note: Based on a five-year average (2015-2019).
FIREARM SUICIDES
746
firearm suicides in 2019, including
29
children and teens
16th
highest firearm suicide rate in the U.S.
Gun Deaths by Intent
Nearly 3/5 of all gun deaths were suicides in 2019.
Suicide by Method
3/5 of 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 (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 February 2021
