Woman holding gun (File) Gun ownership in the United States has remained steady at about 31% over the past several years, but beneath this stabili
Gun ownership in the United States has remained steady at about 31% over the past several years, but beneath this stability lies a sharp increase in ownership among Republican women, offsetting declines among Democratic and independent men.
This shift underscores the growing influence of political affiliation on gun ownership decisions.
According to a recent Gallup analysis of gun ownership trends from 2007 to 2024, the percentage of Republican women who own firearms has risen significantly. Between 2007 and 2012, 19% of Republican women reported owning a gun. That figure has jumped to 33% in the 2019-2024 period.
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In contrast, gun ownership among Democratic men has dropped by seven percentage points, now at 29%, while ownership among independent men has fallen by five points to 39%. Republican men continue to lead all demographic and political subgroups, with 60% reporting personal gun ownership.
Shrinking Gender Gap, Growing Partisan Divide
Gun ownership remains more common among men (43%) than women (20%), but the gender gap has narrowed. From 2007-2012, the gap was 30 percentage points; by 2019-2024, it had decreased to 23 points as more women—particularly Republican women—report owning firearms.
Meanwhile, the partisan divide in gun ownership has grown. In 2007-2012, 38% of Republicans and 22% of Democrats owned guns, a 16-point difference. By 2019-2024, that gap had nearly doubled to 28 points, with 47% of Republicans and 19% of Democrats owning guns.
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What Influences Gun Ownership?
Gallup’s statistical analysis highlights several predictors of gun ownership, showing shifts in key factors over time:
- Gender: Men are still more likely to own guns, but the gender gap is smaller than in previous years.
- Political Affiliation: Republicans are now 1.5 times more likely than non-Republicans to own a gun, a stronger relationship than seen in earlier periods.
- Income and Location: Upper-income Americans are 2.2 times more likely than lower-income individuals to own guns, and rural residents are 2.1 times more likely than urban dwellers to be gun owners.
- Regional Differences: Southerners (40%) are twice as likely as Eastern residents (19%) to own guns, with the Midwest and West showing rates near the national average.
- Political Ideology: Conservatives are more than twice as likely to own guns (45%) compared to liberals (16%).
Factors such as race, marital status, and education, which were strong predictors in the past, have become less influential as political affiliation, ideology, and income gain prominence.
Rural and Regional Ownership Rates
Rural residents lead in gun ownership, with 51% saying they own firearms, compared to just 20% of big-city residents. Ownership is particularly high among rural Republicans (62%), rural conservatives (62%), and rural Southerners (59%).
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Conversely, some of the lowest gun ownership rates are seen among Eastern city dwellers (10%), young Democratic and liberal adults (9-10%), and women aged 18 to 29 (9%).
The Political Factor
The rise in gun ownership among Republican women reflects a broader politicization of the issue. As gun rights have become a central topic in political campaigns, ownership increasingly aligns with political identity. This trend highlights the role of cultural and ideological factors in shaping Americans’ decisions to own firearms.
While overall gun ownership in the U.S. has remained stable, shifts within subgroups—particularly the rising rates among Republican women—indicate that political beliefs are playing a more significant role in ownership decisions. These changes suggest that debates over gun rights and gun control will remain a key aspect of America’s political and cultural landscape.
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