Often maligned for the level of violence around metro Detroit,
the three-county area surrounding the city has some of the lowest per capita licensing of handguns in the state, according to an analysis of the latest available data from Michigan State Police.
Michigan firearms laws vary depending on the type of weapon, where they are being used and, in some cases, even the intent of the person possessing the gun.
Gun registration information by state law is exempted from open records requirements, but state police do compile applicants throughout the state regarding concealed pistol licenses.
MSP statistics updated as of Oct. 2, show rates for the metro area of approved concealed pistol licenses at 68 firearms per every 1,000 residents in Macomb, about 62 in Wayne and 61 in Oakland County, according to a Free Press analysis. That’s nearly half the rate of some of the more rural parts of the state, such as Alcona, Keweenaw and Montmorency counties, which tallied 122, 119 and 114 approved licenses per 1,000 residents, according to the analysis.