New Jersey Among States 'Least Dependent' On Gun Industry: Study

How dependent is the Garden State on the gun industry? Not very much… at least since President Trump has taken office, according to a recent study.

Amid reports that gun and ammo sales in the United States have dropped under the Trump administration, personal-finance website WalletHub released its 2017 report of “States Most Dependent on the Gun Industry.”

See the full report, methodology and state-by-state ranking here.

According to the study, which based its conclusion on factors such as “firearms industry jobs per capita,” “gun sales per 1,000 residents” and “gun ownership rate,” here’s where New Jersey ranked nationwide:

• 48th – Gun Ownership Rate
• 49th – NICS Background Checks per Capita
• 36th – Gun-Control Contributions to Congressional Members per Capita
• 44th – Gun-Rights Contributions to Congressional Members per Capita

Although 93 people die from gun violence every day in America from gun violence according to the Brady Campaign, firearms also power an enormous portion of the U.S. economy.

Nationwide, the firearms industry creates 301,123 jobs and more than $51 billion in economic impact, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) 2017 Firearms and Ammunition Industry Economic Impact Report.

“The economic growth America's firearms and ammunition industry has experienced over the years has been nothing short of remarkable,” the NSSF states. “Over the past couple of years, the industry's growth has been driven by an unprecedented number of Americans choosing to exercise their fundamental right to keep and bear arms and purchase a firearm and ammunition.”

However, this nationwide growth hasn’t taken hold in the Garden State, according to WalletHub. In their 2017 study, New Jersey ranked:

• 50th – Firearms Industry Jobs per Capita
• 49th – Total Firearms-Industry Output per Capita
• 49th – Total Taxes Paid by Firearms Industry per Capita

Would you like to see gun sales increase or decrease in New Jersey? Take our reader poll and let us know why you voted that way in the comments section.

Photo: ATF.gov