82
gun deaths in Vermont
12%
Homicides comprised 12% of gun deaths
85%
Suicides comprised the majority of gun deaths
84%
of gun death victims were male
23rd
lowest gun death rate in the country in 2018

GUN DEATHS BY INTENT, 2018

Nearly 100 Vermonters died by gun violence in 2018, an average of more than one person every week. Suicides were 85% of the gun deaths and homicides were 12%.

Number of deaths

TRENDS OVER TIME

Over the last 10 years (2009-2018), the overall gun death rate in Vermont increased 44%. Increases in the suicide rate contributed to the overall change over the course of the decade; in that time period, the firearm suicide rate increased 22%.

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 in Vermont from 2009-2018, therefore these data points are omitted from the graph above.

County Variations

Age-adjusted gun death rate per 100,000

  • 6.44 to 9.24
  • 9.25 to 12.05
  • 12.06 to 14.86
  • 14.87 to 17.48
  • Suppressed /
    Unreliable

Among the counties in Vermont, Caledonia County had the highest gun death rate, followed by Orange County and Windham County.

Conversely, Chittenden County had the lowest gun death rate, followed by Addison County and Lamoille 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

10
firearm homicides in 2018

Gun Deaths by Intent

More than 10% of gun deaths were homicides in 2018.

Homicide by Method

More than 70% of homicides were committed with firearms in 2018.

Demographics

In Vermont, 60% of firearm homicide victims are male, and White (non Latino) males and females are at highest risk.

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

FIREARM SUICIDES

70
firearm suicides in 2018
15th
highest firearm suicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

The majority of gun deaths were suicides in 2018.

Suicide by Method

More than half of all suicides were by firearm in 2018.

Demographics

White (non Latino) males ages 55-74 are at the 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