Over the last month, guns and gun laws have been a heavy topic in the news across the country. There have been multiple mass shootings over the last few weeks and what to do about them seems to be a topic every week following more and more deaths and injuries. Banning guns isn't the option but stricter gun laws could help slow things down. The gun industry contributed to over 70 billion dollars last year to the economy, and there is little doubt that the industry would fold with that amount of money invested. Some states rely more on the gun industry than others, and with Idaho being a mostly pro-gun state, how do they rank compared to other states when it comes to the gun industry?

Idaho The Top State for the Gun Industry

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One of the first things you learn when you move to Idaho is that everyone has a gun, and if you don't have one, you get one. The state is pro-gun and does a great job of supporting the gun industry, but when it compares to other states, where does it rank? According to a list released by WalletHub, Idaho is the state that is most dependent on the gun industry. They are number one in the firearms industry, number eight in gun prevalence, and number five in gun politics. In terms of how many jobs the gun industry supplies for Idaho, they are number one in the country for jobs per capita. They are number one in total taxes paid by the gun industry, total output by the gun industry, and fourth in gun ownership.

States Most and Least Reliant on Gun Industry

U.S. Gun Sales Reach Record Levels In 2012
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With Idaho taking the top spot, what other states rely on the gun industry almost as much? Coming in at number two was our neighbor to the east in Wyoming, with Kentucky rounding out the top three. In terms of the states that rely on the gun industry the least, Rhode Island was last, just ahead of New Jersey and Hawaii to round out the bottom three. With Idaho ranked fourth in gun ownership, you may be wondering which states were ahead, and Montana ranked the number one state in gun ownership. Wyoming was second and West Virginia was third. In terms of states that were the lowest, New Jersey was last, just ahead of Massachusetts and Hawaii. 

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For all those that want guns banned in the country, look no further than the money that the industry is distributing and what it does for the economy in states like Idaho. It supplies jobs and helps the economy and Idaho has proven that despite many guns in the market, mass shootings in the state are few and far between. It may not be an actual law, but living in Idaho you either own a gun, or you find somewhere else to go because the industry is thriving in this state. 

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