2024 BRFSS Survey Results: Western North Carolina

Firearm Safety

The next questions are about safety and firearms. Some people keep guns for recreational purposes such as hunting or sport shooting.
People also keep guns in the home for protection. Please include weapons such as pistols, shotguns, and rifles: but not BB guns or guns that cannot fire.
Include those kept in a garage, outdoor storage area, or motor vehicle.

Are any firearms kept in or around your home?

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  Total
Respond.^		 Yes No
N % C.I.(95%) N % C.I.(95%)
North Carolina 3,180 1,222 41.2 39.1-43.2 1,958 58.8 56.8-60.9
Western 596 285 53.3 48.1-58.5 311 46.7 41.5-51.9
GENDER
Male 247 137 58.3 50.7-65.5 110 41.7 34.5-49.3
Female 349 148 49.4 42.2-56.5 201 50.6 43.5-57.8
RACE
Non-Hispanic White 494 261 57.7 52.0-63.3 233 42.3 36.7-48.0
Non-Hispanic Black 31 *** *** *** *** *** ***
Other 66 *** *** *** *** *** ***
AGE
18-34 74 *** *** *** *** *** ***
35-44 64 *** *** *** *** *** ***
45-54 94 *** *** *** *** *** ***
55-64 98 59 69.4 58.4-78.6 39 30.6 21.4-41.6
65-74 121 *** *** *** *** *** ***
75+ 137 *** *** *** *** *** ***
EDUCATION
Less Than H.S. 65 *** *** *** *** *** ***
H.S. or G.E.D. 121 *** *** *** *** *** ***
Some Post-H.S. 172 95 59.8 50.6-68.3 77 40.2 31.7-49.4
College Graduate 237 111 48.6 41.2-56.1 126 51.4 43.9-58.8
FUNCTIONAL DISABILITY
Yes 243 118 54.5 46.4-62.4 125 45.5 37.6-53.6
No 345 163 51.9 45.1-58.7 182 48.1 41.3-54.9
VETERAN STATUS
Veteran 48 *** *** *** *** *** ***
Non-Veteran 547 252 52.0 46.5-57.4 295 48.0 42.6-53.5
EMPLOYMENT STATUS
Employed or Self-Employed 252 129 56.6 49.1-63.8 123 43.4 36.2-50.9
Unemployed 24 *** *** *** *** *** ***
Retired 239 111 52.2 43.7-60.5 128 47.8 39.5-56.3
Unable to Work 51 *** *** *** *** *** ***
Other not in Labor Force 25 *** *** *** *** *** ***
HOUSEHOLD INCOME
Less than $15,000 21 *** *** *** *** *** ***
$15,000- 24,999 44 *** *** *** *** *** ***
$25,000- 34,999 60 *** *** *** *** *** ***
$35,000- 49,999 85 *** *** *** *** *** ***
$50,000- 74,999 67 *** *** *** *** *** ***
$75,000+ 172 101 59.7 50.4-68.3 71 40.3 31.7-49.6
Don't know/Not sure or Refused 147 *** *** *** *** *** ***
POVERTY LEVEL2
Less than 50% 11 *** *** *** *** *** ***
50% to 100% 35 *** *** *** *** *** ***
101% to 150% 79 *** *** *** *** *** ***
151% to 200% 34 *** *** *** *** *** ***
More than 200% 289 158 58.9 51.6-65.8 131 41.1 34.2-48.4
Don't know/Not sure or Refused 147 *** *** *** *** *** ***
HOUSING
Own 436 247 59.8 54.0-65.5 189 40.2 34.5-46.0
Rent 127 *** *** *** *** *** ***
Other arrangement 28 *** *** *** *** *** ***
RURAL-URBAN RESIDENT1
Regional City or Suburban County 188 62 39.0 30.6-48.2 126 61.0 51.8-69.4
Rural 408 223 59.4 53.0-65.4 185 40.6 34.6-47.0
NC DEPT OF COMMERCE COUNTY TIER3
Most Distressed Counties (Tier 1) 76 *** *** *** *** *** ***
Less Distressed Counties (Tier 2) 332 176 57.9 50.8-64.7 156 42.1 35.3-49.2
Least Distressed Counties (Tier 3) 188 62 39.0 30.6-48.2 126 61.0 51.8-69.4
CDC SOCIAL VULNERABILITY INDEX4
1st Quartile - Least Vulnerable 345 150 48.0 41.4-54.7 195 52.0 45.3-58.6
2nd Quartile 102 *** *** *** *** *** ***
3rd Quartile 149 83 59.7 49.1-69.4 66 40.3 30.6-50.9

Back to Firearm Safety.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to changes in the weighting methodology and other factors, results from 2024 are NOT comparable to 2010
and earlier years.

***The estimate was suppressed because it did not meet statistical reliability standards. See BRFSS 2024 Annual Results Technical Notes for more details.

1Based on U.S Census Bureau population estimates at the county level. Please see the BRFSS 2024 Annual Results Technical Notes for details.

2Based on 2024 U.S Census Bureau poverty threshold incomes. Please see the BRFSS 2024 Annual Results Technical Notes for details.

3NC Dept. of Commerce County Tier Classification, based on respondent’s county of residence.
Please see the BRFSS 2024 Annual Results Technical Notes for details.

4Quartile of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Social Vulnerability Index
(https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/placeandhealth/svi/index.html) for respondent’s county of residence.
Please see the BRFSS 2024 Annual Results Technical Notes for details.

^Use caution in interpreting cell sizes less than 50, % = Percentage, C.I.(95%) = Confidence Interval (at 95 percent probability level).
Percentages are weighted to population characteristics and therefore cannot be calculated exactly from the numbers in this table.

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This page was generated on 18SEP25.

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