Texas Public Safety & Firearm Statistics
Background Checks
1,732,651
2022 total
Per 1,000 Residents
64.8
NICS checks per capita
Handgun Checks
778,486
45% of total
Year-over-Year
-12.5%
Decrease from 2021
FBI NICS Firearm Background Checks
Source: FBI / BuzzFeedNews (2022)Handgun
778,486
Long Gun
412,457
Permit Checks
321,698
In 2022, Texas recorded 1,732,651 FBI NICS firearm background checks, equivalent to 64.8 per 1K residents. Handgun checks accounted for 45% of all checks, while long gun checks made up 24%. Background checks decreased 12.5% compared to 2021.
NICS checks are conducted for firearm purchases, permits, and other transactions. A single check does not necessarily equal one firearm sale.
Background Checks by Year
| Year | Total Checks | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 1,571,632 | — |
| 2019 | 1,487,212 | -5.4% |
| 2020 | 2,325,281 | +56.4% |
| 2021 | 1,980,753 | -14.8% |
| 2022 | 1,732,651 | -12.5% |
Background Checks per 1,000 Residents by State
Total Background Checks by State
Texas State Prison Population
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics (2023)Prison Population
149,264
2023
Per 100K Residents
558
imprisonment rate
Admissions
67,810
2023
Releases
58,034
2023
Male Prisoners
137,085
92% of total
Female Prisoners
12,179
8% of total
Private Prisons
6.6%
of total prison pop
Texas Population vs. Prison Demographics
State Demographics
Prison Demographics
Overview
Black residents make up 11.2% of Texas's population but 32.5% of the prison population (2.9x overrepresented). White residents are 44.4% of the population but 33.3% of prisoners. These disparities reflect well-documented patterns in the U.S. criminal justice system.
Imprisonment Rate per 100K by State (2023)
Texas had a total prison population of 149,264 in 2023, an imprisonment rate of 558 per 100,000 residents. There were 67,810 new admissions and 58,034 releases. 6.6% of prisoners were held in private facilities.
Texas County Incarceration
Source: Vera Institute of Justice (2024)Aggregated from 231 counties in Texas.
Total Jail Population
69,665
2024
Avg Jail Rate
793
per 100K (county avg)
Total Jail Admissions
876,148
2024
Incarceration Trends
| Year | Jail Pop. | Avg Jail Rate | Jail Admissions | Pretrial % | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 69,665 | 793 | 876,148 | N/A | 231 |
| 2023 | 73,594 | 949 | 885,264 | 75% | 242 |
| 2022 | 74,998 | 836 | 868,041 | 80% | 243 |
| 2021 | 69,867 | 741 | 834,487 | 73% | 243 |
| 2020 | 65,891 | 633 | 870,248 | 76% | 242 |
| 2019 | 70,642 | 756 | 965,726 | 72% | 253 |
| 2018 | 69,383 | 673 | 1,042,827 | 72% | 253 |
| 2017 | 66,978 | 644 | 1,105,730 | 73% | 253 |
| 2016 | 68,379 | 701 | 1,167,820 | 73% | 254 |
| 2015 | 65,199 | 663 | 1,202,620 | 72% | 253 |
Jail & Prison Population Over Time
In 2024, Texas's 231 reporting counties had a combined jail population of 69,665 with an average county jail rate of 793 per 100,000 residents. A total of 876,148 jail admissions were recorded across the state.
Texas Firearm Deaths
Source: CDC WONDER (2018–2024)Aggregated from 250 counties in Texas. Period: 2018–2024.
Total Firearm Deaths
28,158
2018–2024
Homicide Deaths
10,662
38% of total
Suicide Deaths
17,051
61% of total
Rate per 100K
13.5
crude mortality rate
Accidental Deaths
104
2018–2024
Firearm Deaths by Cause (2018–2024)
Firearm Death Rate per 100K by State (2018–2024)
Between 2018 and 2024, Texas's 250 counties reported a combined 28,158 firearm-related deaths, a rate of 13.5 per 100,000 residents. Of those, 10,662 (38%) were homicides and 17,051 (61%) were suicides. There were 104 accidental firearm deaths. County-level death counts of 9 or fewer are suppressed by the CDC for privacy; actual statewide totals may be higher.