A GunTransfers.com analysis of 51,272 licensed FFL dealers finds firearm-dealer density varies more than 100-fold between states, from 86.4 per 100,000 residents in Wyoming to 0.6 in Washington, D.C. Texas alone holds 1 in 10 U.S. dealers. Full state-by-state findings are published on-site.
HIGHLAND, Utah, Aug. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- GunTransfers.com, an online directory and information resource for licensed firearm dealers, today published a data study mapping the density of Federal Firearms License (FFL) holders across every U.S. state, based on its directory of 51,272 active licensed dealers across the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The study, published at GunTransfers.com, finds that firearm-dealer access is distributed far more unevenly than population alone would predict, in a pattern that maps closely to state regulation and rural geography.
Key findings:
From an analysis of 51,272 active Type 01 and Type 02 licensed dealers (per-capita figures use U.S. Census Bureau 2024 population estimates):
- There are roughly 15 licensed firearm dealers for every 100,000 U.S. residents, but the state-by-state range spans more than 100-fold.
- Wyoming has the highest density in the country at 86.4 dealers per 100,000 residents, about 38 times New Jersey's rate (2.3) and 25 times California's (3.4).
- The five most rural states (Wyoming, Montana, Alaska, North Dakota and South Dakota) average 63 dealers per 100,000 residents, roughly 20 times the rate of the most tightly regulated states.
- The lowest densities are in Washington, D.C. (0.6), New Jersey (2.3), California (3.4), Massachusetts (3.7) and Hawaii (6.0).
- Texas alone accounts for about 1 in 10 licensed dealers nationwide, with 5,224 dealers, or 10.2 percent of the U.S. total. Florida (2,629) and Pennsylvania (2,243) follow.
- Roughly 9 in 10 licensees are Type 01 "Dealer in Firearms." The remainder are Type 02 pawnbrokers.
- Houston leads all U.S. cities with 273 licensed dealers, ahead of San Antonio (196) and Tucson (136).
"The headline number everyone quotes is that there are more gun stores than McDonald's locations in America, but that misses the real story, which is how unevenly they are spread," said Jared Winger, publisher of GunTransfers.com. "A resident of Wyoming lives among 38 times the dealer density of a resident of New Jersey. When you map the full licensed directory instead of a headline count, access looks less like a function of population and more like a function of geography and state rules."
A note on transfer fees
GunTransfers.com is frequently asked about the cost of a firearm transfer between dealers. There is no national, publicly maintained dataset of actual transfer-fee amounts. Fees are set independently by each dealer and are not reported to any central registry. This study therefore reports verifiable dealer-density figures only and does not publish computed transfer-fee statistics, which would require data that does not exist in reliable form. Residents can find the dealers nearest them, and compare listed services, through the GunTransfers.com directory.
Methodology:
Figures are computed from GunTransfers.com's directory of 51,272 active licensed FFL dealers across the 50 states and the District of Columbia, current as of July 2026. The count includes Type 01 (dealer in firearms) and Type 02 (pawnbroker dealing in firearms) licenses, the categories permitted to transfer a firearm to a buyer. It excludes Type 03 collectors, Type 06 and 07 manufacturers, and Type 08 and 11 importers, which is why this total is lower than the ATF's headline count of all federal firearms licensees. Per-capita rates use U.S. Census Bureau 2024 population estimates and should be read as approximate. The full state-by-state table is published at GunTransfers.com/ffl-dealer-statistics.
About GunTransfers.com:
GunTransfers.com is an online directory and information resource that helps firearm owners locate licensed FFL dealers and understand the transfer process. It is not a dealer and does not sell, ship, or transfer firearms. Licensed dealers can claim an enhanced profile through the site's featured-listing option at GunTransfers.com/featured-dealer.
This release is for informational purposes only. Firearm purchases and transfers are subject to federal, state and local law. Consult a licensed dealer for requirements in your jurisdiction.
Media Contact
Jared Winger, GunTransfers.com, 1 (801) 901-0993, [email protected], https://guntransfers.com/
SOURCE GunTransfers.com
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