Gun Violence in New Mexico
Understanding the numbers helps everyone take meaningful action.
Gun violence hurts families across our state. These losses include suicide, homicide, and accidental injuries. When we look at the numbers, we can see where safety actions, like secure storage, make a difference.
530
Firearm-Related Deaths (2023)
5th
Highest Age-Adjusted Firearm Death Rate in the U.S (2023)
1.8x
1.8x Higher than the U.S., Age-Adjusted Firearm Death Rate (2023)
7%
Decrease in NM’s Firearm Death Rate (2022-2023)
What the Numbers Show
New Mexico has higher firearm death rates than the U.S. overall. The data below gives a simple picture of what’s happening here and how it has changed over time.
Firearm Deaths in New Mexico 2024
Suicide 317 (56%)
Homicide 206 (37%)
Legal intervention 21 (4%)
Undetermined & other 19 (3%)
Total 563
SOURCE: CDC WONDER. Last accessed 2/18/26.
Age-Adjusted Firearm Death Rate in the U.S. vs New Mexico, 2024
U.S. (12.8)
New Mexico (26.6)
SOURCE: CDC WONDER. Last accessed on 2/18/26.
Number of Firearm Deaths by Race/Ethnicity in New Mexico, 2024
Source: NM-IBIS (https://ibis.doh.nm.gov/query/result/mort/MortCntyInj/AgeRate.html), Last accessed 2/18/26
Age-Adjusted Death Rate for Firearm Fatalities, Suicide with a Firearm, & Homicide with a Firearm in New Mexico, 2019–2023
Death rates age adjusted to the US 2000 standard population.
All Firearm (NM)
17% increase in firearm fatalities between 2019 and 2023 (from 22.3 to 25.1 per 100,000 population)
8% decrease in firearm fatalities between 2021 and 2023 (from 27.3 to 25.1 per 100,000 population)
Suicide w/ firearm (NM)
8% decrease in suicide with a firearm between 2021 and 2023 (from 13.9 to 12.8 per 100,000 population)
Homicide w/ firearm (NM)
35% increase in homicide with a firearm between 2019 and 2023 (from 8.2 to 11.1 per 100,000 population)
56% increase in homicide with a firearm between 2020 and 2021 (from 7.5 to 11.7 per 100,000 population)
Why These Numbers Matter
Every New Mexican deserves clear, accessible information about firearm safety and risk.
When it comes to the data, Age-adjusted rates let us compare places fairly. They account for different age mixes in each population. “All Firearm (NM)” includes both suicide and homicide.
Understanding how these deaths occur can guide prevention, education, and safe storage practices that reduce harm.