This is a controversial topic that I'll make no apologies for. If you're curious about where the most heavily-armed county is in America, you don't need to travel far. It's right across the border from Illinois.

97 ZOK logo
Get our free mobile app

I want to be clear about a couple things. I support the 2nd amendment and citizen's right to bear arms. Even though I have never owned a weapon myself (nor do I ever plan to), I have lots of responsible friends that do. I also believe that firearms are not evil. Sometimes evil people get ahold of them, but I don't believe evil people really care about laws either.

With that out of the way, I got curious about the percentage of gun ownership in Missouri, Illinois and overall America in general. I was surprised to learn that according to the City Data website, the most heavily-armed county in America is just a hop, skip and a jump from both Missouri and Illinois.

What is the most heavily-armed county in America?

City Data says it's Stewart County, Tennessee which is right on the Kentucky border and less than an hour from Illinois.

Get this. According to their data, a whopping 64% of the households in Stewart County, Tennessee have firearms present. Bad news if you were planning a home invasion there.

The closest any Missouri counties get to that is there's one technically in Kansas that's near the Kansas City area with 29% of households having firearms. Still a high percentage, but not even close to Stewart County, Tennessee.

How Many in America: From Guns to Ghost Towns

Can you take a guess as to how many public schools are in the U.S.? Do you have any clue as to how many billionaires might be residing there? Read on to find out—and learn a thing or two about each of these selection’s cultural significance and legacy along the way.

Gallery Credit: RACHEL CAVANAUGH

More From 97 ZOK