Florida is known for many things: sunny beaches, theme parks, citrus fruits, and of course, guns. The state has some of the most permissive gun laws in the country, allowing residents to carry concealed weapons without a permit, stand their ground in self-defense, and buy firearms without a background check from private sellers. But which county in Florida has the most weapons per capita? The answer might surprise you.
The Data
To find out which county has the most weapons, we used data from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which issues concealed weapon/firearm licenses to eligible applicants. The data shows the number of active license holders by county as of February 2024.
We then divided the number of license holders by the county population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau for 2022 to get the rate of license holders per 100,000 people. We also looked at the FBI’s data on violent crime rates by county for 2022, which includes homicide, robbery, aggravated assault, and sexual battery. We compared the rates of license holders and violent crime to see if there is any correlation between them.
The Results
The results show that the county with the most weapons per capita in Florida is Liberty County, with a rate of 2,436.9 license holders per 100,000 people. That means that nearly one in every 40 residents of Liberty County has a concealed weapon/firearm license. Liberty County is located in the Florida Panhandle, bordering Georgia and Alabama.
It has a population of about 8,500 people, making it the least populous county in the state. It is also one of the most rural and sparsely populated counties, with a density of only 10.6 people per square mile. The county seat is Bristol, which has a population of about 1,000 people.
The county with the second-highest rate of license holders is Dixie County, with a rate of 1,951.9 per 100,000 people. Dixie County is also located in the Florida Panhandle, along the Gulf of Mexico. It has a population of about 16,000 people, and a density of 23.4 people per square mile. The county seat is Cross City, which has a population of about 1,700 people.
The county with the third-highest rate of license holders is Gilchrist County, with a rate of 1,911.2 per 100,000 people. Gilchrist County is located in North Central Florida, bordering the Suwannee River. It has a population of about 18,000 people, and a density of 39.7 people per square mile. The county seat is Trenton, which has a population of about 2,000 people.
The county with the lowest rate of license holders is Miami-Dade County, with a rate of 133.4 per 100,000 people. Miami-Dade County is located in Southeast Florida, along the Atlantic Ocean. It has a population of about 2.7 million people, making it the most populous county in the state. It is also one of the most urban and densely populated counties, with a density of 1,504.9 people per square mile. The county seat is Miami, which has a population of about 470,000 people.
The county with the second-lowest rate of license holders is Broward County, with a rate of 121.2 per 100,000 people. Broward County is also located in Southeast Florida, along the Atlantic Ocean. It has a population of about 2 million people, making it the second-most populous county in the state. It is also one of the most urban and densely populated counties, with a density of 1,445.9 people per square mile. The county seat is Fort Lauderdale, which has a population of about 180,000 people.
The county with the third-lowest rate of license holders is Collier County, with a rate of 55.3 per 100,000 people. Collier County is located in Southwest Florida, along the Gulf of Mexico. It has a population of about 390,000 people, and a density of 213.6 people per square mile. The county seat is Naples, which has a population of about 22,000 people.
The Analysis
The analysis shows that there is a negative correlation between the rate of license holders and the rate of violent crime in Florida counties. That means that the counties with more weapons tend to have less violent crime, and vice versa. The correlation coefficient is -0.42, which indicates a moderate inverse relationship. However, correlation does not imply causation, and there may be other factors that influence both variables, such as socioeconomic status, education, culture, and geography.
One possible explanation for the negative correlation is that the counties with more weapons are more rural and have less population density, which may reduce the opportunities and motives for violent crime. Another possible explanation is that the counties with more weapons have more deterrence and self-defense, which may discourage potential offenders and protect potential victims. However, these explanations are speculative and require further research to validate.
The Conclusion
The conclusion is that Florida is a state with a lot of weapons, but not a lot of violent crime. The county with the most weapons per capita is Liberty County, which is also one of the least populous and most rural counties in the state. The county with the least weapons per capita is Miami-Dade County, which is also one of the most populous and most urban counties in the state.
There is a negative correlation between the rate of license holders and the rate of violent crime in Florida counties, but the causal relationship is unclear and complex. This article provides some interesting insights into the distribution and impact of weapons in Florida, but it is not intended to advocate or oppose any policy or position on gun rights or gun control.