Here is the list of all shall-issue states, and the percentages of the populations that have carry licenses. The information comes from Chris Bird and the CCRKBA, and state websites. Georgia and New Hampshire are not included because there are no state-wide records kept.
| Rank | State | % with CHLs |
| 1 | South Dakota | 7.45% |
| 2 | Indiana | 6.79% |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | 6.76% |
| 4 | Connecticut | 5.23% |
| 5 | Washington | 5.12% |
| 6 | Idaho | 4.34% |
| 7 | Utah | 4.10% |
| 8 | Oregon | 3.86% |
| 9 | Tennessee | 3.45% |
| 10 | Alabama | 3.15% |
| 11 | Florida | 2.72% |
| 12 | Kentucky | 2.71% |
| 13 | Wyoming | 2.67% |
| 14 | Maine | 2.41% |
| 15 | Arkansas | 2.18% |
| 16 | Virginia | 2.11% |
| 17 | West Virginia | 1.94% |
| 18 | Arizona | 1.76% |
| 19 | Oklahoma | 1.75% |
| 20 | Montana | 1.70% |
| 21 | Michigan | 1.70% |
| 22 | Texas | 1.62% |
| 23 | South Carolina | 1.39% |
| 24 | North Dakota | 1.34% |
| 25 | North Carolina | 1.00% |
| 26 | Mississippi | 0.86% |
| 27 | Louisiana | 0.62% |
| 28 | Nevada | 0.58% |
| 29 | Minnesota | 0.45% |
| 30 | Missouri | 0.36% |
| 31 | Ohio | 0.33% |
| 32 | Colorado | 0.20% |
| 33 | New Mexico | 0.16% |
So I did well, moving down only one, from number 2 (Indiana) to number 3 (Pennsylvania). But here’s that odd difference between adjacent midwestern states thing again. Note that in Ohio, only 0.33% of the population have carry licenses (and Illinois isn’t even on the list, not being a shall-issue state). Ohio also has that idiotic “no firearms” at rest areas thing, which really burned my ass on the way out here, because I don’t like leaving loaded handguns in the car. Pennsylvania and Indiana do not have this rest area thing, btw.
What’s surprising is how low so many of those state percentages are. Sure, 6.76% and 6.79% (Pennsylvania and Indiana, respectively, less only than South Dakota at 7.45%) aren’t huge sections of the populace, but fewer than one percent? I wonder how many of these states below, say, 2% do not have clauses in their state constitutions that prohibit further restrictions by county or city governments. I’m betting that’s part of it. And Ohio and Missouri just became shall-issue states, so it’s going to take a few years for more folks to carry. West Virginia’s numbers are so low, I bet, because many people carry without licenses there (I have family in West Virginia), and as pro-2A as their LEOs are, they don’t much care (I’m not talking about Huntington or Charleston; I’m talking about rural West Virginia). And Texas’s regulations are ridiculous, and licenses are expensive.
Interesting.
jimmyb says:
Let us hope Ohiya comes around soon!
September 10, 2005, 8:22 pmGreat post, Prof!
GunnNutt says:
I don’t understand Texas. I thought they prided themselves on independence and machismo and the like. You think maybe they’re like WV and just carry without permits?
September 13, 2005, 3:58 pmrightwingprof says:
Maybe. But Texans haven’t been able to carry that long, and they pride themselves on how strict their requirements are. Also, open carry is very illegal there. I think of Texas as a barely CCW state, shall issue laws or not.
September 14, 2005, 9:27 amRight Wing Nation » Blog Archive » CHL Percentages, Red And Blue says:
[…] I mentioned this before, uh, in September. But I didn’t look at the data by red v. blue state, and it gets interesting (hat tip to Blog O’ Stuff — I’m reproducing more or less the whole thing, since I’m afraid it will go away). […]
March 25, 2006, 11:39 amSnowflakes in Hell » We’re Number 3. Where is Your State? says:
[…] Rightwingprof provides this handy link.  It ranks states according to percentage of population with carry licenses. […]
May 24, 2007, 1:44 pmSayUncle » Handgun Carry Percentages says:
[…] Ranked by state. Via Sebastian. […]
May 25, 2007, 8:34 am