While the open road is a quintessential part of the American dream, the reality of who owns vehicles and how many reveals a fascinating tapestry of modern life, from the 91.3% of U.S. households that own at least one vehicle to the surprising 7.4 million households that navigate life without one.
Key Takeaways
- In 2021, 91.3% of U.S. households owned at least one motor vehicle
- As of 2020, 84.6% of American households had access to at least one vehicle
- In 2019, the average number of vehicles per U.S. household was 1.88
- 92% of adults aged 30-49 in the US owned a vehicle in 2022
- Vehicle ownership among US adults aged 18-29 was 81% in 2022
- In 2021, 95% of US men owned or had access to a vehicle
- In California, 82.5% of households owned a vehicle in 2021
- New York State households had only 65% vehicle ownership in 2021
- Texas vehicle ownership rate was 93.2% for households in 2021
- 54.8% of US households owned a passenger car in 2020
- 38.2% of US households owned a pickup truck or van in 2020
- 2.1 million US households owned motorcycles in 2019
- In 2020, average vehicles per US household increased from 1.8 in 2010 to 1.88
- US household vehicle ownership rose from 89% in 2010 to 91.3% in 2021
- Carless US households decreased by 1.2 million from 2016 to 2021
Vehicle ownership in U.S. households remains very high at over ninety percent.
Demographic Ownership
192% of adults aged 30-49 in the US owned a vehicle in 2022
Verified2Vehicle ownership among US adults aged 18-29 was 81% in 2022
Verified3In 2021, 95% of US men owned or had access to a vehicle
Verified489% of US women owned or had access to a vehicle in 2021
Directional5Households earning $100,000+ annually had 98.5% vehicle ownership rate in 2021
Single source6Low-income households (<$30k) had 73% vehicle ownership in 2021
Verified787% of White non-Hispanic US adults owned a vehicle in 2020
Verified8Hispanic US adults had 84% vehicle ownership in 2020
Verified9Black US adults owned vehicles at 79% rate in 2020
Directional10Asian US adults had 91% vehicle ownership in 2020
Single source1194% of married US adults owned a vehicle in 2022
Verified12Single US adults had 85% vehicle ownership in 2022
Verified13College graduates in US owned vehicles at 93% rate in 2021
Verified14High school or less educated US adults had 82% ownership in 2021
Directional15Urban millennials (born 1981-1996) had 78% vehicle ownership in 2020
Single source16Rural baby boomers (born 1946-1964) owned 97% vehicles in 2020
Verified1796% of US adults aged 50-64 owned a vehicle in 2022
Verified18Gen Z (18-24) vehicle ownership was 76% in 2022
Verified19Households with children under 6 had 94.5% vehicle ownership in 2021
Directional20Empty-nester households owned 92% vehicles in 2021
Single source21LGBTQ+ US adults had 88% vehicle ownership rate in 2020
Verified22Veterans in US owned vehicles at 95% rate in 2021
Verified23Disabled US adults had 85% vehicle ownership in 2020
VerifiedDemographic Ownership Interpretation
It appears that in America, your likelihood of car ownership climbs steadily with age, income, marriage, children, and distance from a city bus stop, proving that while life is a journey, it's one we overwhelmingly prefer to take in the driver's seat.
Geographic Ownership
1In California, 82.5% of households owned a vehicle in 2021
Verified2New York State households had only 65% vehicle ownership in 2021
Verified3Texas vehicle ownership rate was 93.2% for households in 2021
Verified4Florida households owned vehicles at 91.8% rate in 2021
Directional5In Illinois, 87.4% of households had at least one vehicle in 2021
Single source6Pennsylvania vehicle ownership was 89.1% in 2021
Verified7Ohio households had 91.6% ownership rate in 2021
Verified8Georgia state vehicle ownership reached 92.3% in 2021
Verified9Michigan households owned 92.7% vehicles in 2021
Directional10North Carolina had 92.1% household vehicle ownership in 2021
Single source11In Washington DC, only 36.9% of households owned a vehicle in 2021
Verified12Wyoming households had 96.4% vehicle ownership in 2021
Verified13West Virginia rate was 94.2% in 2021
Verified14In the UK, 77% of households owned a car in 2021
Directional15Germany had 85% household car ownership in 2022
Single source16France vehicle ownership rate was 87% in 2021
Verified17Japan households owned cars at 79% rate in 2021
Verified18In India, only 7.5% of households owned a car in 2021
Verified19China household car ownership was 22% in 2021
Directional20Brazil had 45% household vehicle ownership in 2021
Single source21In Canada, 91% of households owned a vehicle in 2021
Verified22Australia car ownership rate was 89% in 2021
VerifiedGeographic Ownership Interpretation
The data paints a clear, if predictable, picture: necessity dictates ownership, as demonstrated by America's car-dependent heartland leading the pack, Europe's developed transit systems trailing respectfully behind, and urban havens like New York and D.C. bravely bucking the trend altogether, while the developing world humbly reminds us that a car is still a luxury.
Household Ownership
1In 2021, 91.3% of U.S. households owned at least one motor vehicle
Verified2As of 2020, 84.6% of American households had access to at least one vehicle
Verified3In 2019, the average number of vehicles per U.S. household was 1.88
Verified48.5% of U.S. households owned three or more vehicles in 2021
Directional5Urban U.S. households had a vehicle ownership rate of 82% in 2020
Single source6Rural U.S. households owned vehicles at a rate of 95% in 2020
Verified7In 2022, 7.4 million U.S. households were without a vehicle
Verified8Multi-vehicle households comprised 58% of U.S. households in 2017
Verified9The vehicle ownership rate for households with children under 18 was 93.2% in 2021
Directional10Single-person U.S. households had a 78.5% vehicle ownership rate in 2020
Single source11In 2021, 76% of U.S. households owned two or fewer vehicles
Verified12Elderly U.S. households (65+) owned 1.65 vehicles on average in 2019
Verified13Low-income U.S. households (<$25k) had 72% vehicle ownership in 2021
Verified14In 2020, 92% of married-couple households owned at least one vehicle
Directional15U.S. households in the South had the highest vehicle ownership at 93.1% in 2021
Single source16Asian American households had a 90.2% vehicle ownership rate in 2019
Verified17In 2022, 1.2% of U.S. households owned electric vehicles exclusively
Verified18Hispanic U.S. households owned vehicles at 85.4% rate in 2021
Verified19In 2018, 85% of U.S. households with annual income over $100k owned two or more vehicles
Directional20Female-headed U.S. households had 82.3% vehicle ownership in 2020
Single source21In 2021, Midwest U.S. households averaged 1.95 vehicles per household
Verified224.1% of U.S. immigrant households were carless in 2019
Verified23U.S. households renting homes had 79% vehicle ownership in 2022
Verified24In 2020, 96% of households in Wyoming owned at least one vehicle
Directional25Black U.S. households had an 80.1% vehicle ownership rate in 2021
Single source26In 2019, college-educated U.S. households owned 2.1 vehicles on average
Verified27Pacific U.S. households had 88.7% vehicle ownership in 2021
Verified28In 2022, 65% of U.S. households owned a personal vehicle used daily
Verified29Non-family U.S. households averaged 1.2 vehicles in 2020
Directional30In 2021, 89% of U.S. households in suburbs owned vehicles
Single sourceHousehold Ownership Interpretation
While American roads overflow with nearly two cars per household on average, stark mobility divides emerge between rural and urban areas, rich and poor, and families with children versus single individuals.
Temporal Trends
1In 2020, average vehicles per US household increased from 1.8 in 2010 to 1.88
Verified2US household vehicle ownership rose from 89% in 2010 to 91.3% in 2021
Verified3Carless US households decreased by 1.2 million from 2016 to 2021
Verified4EV ownership in US households grew 40% year-over-year in 2022
Directional5Pickup truck ownership increased 15% in US households from 2015-2020
Single source6SUV ownership in US surged from 35% to 48% of households 2010-2022
Verified7Global car ownership per 1000 people rose from 125 in 2000 to 180 in 2020
Verified8US multi-vehicle households grew from 55% in 2009 to 58% in 2019
Verified9During COVID-19, new vehicle registrations in US households fell 15% in 2020
Directional10Hybrid vehicle ownership tripled in US households from 2010 to 2020
Single source11Sedan ownership declined 20% in US households from 2015-2022
Verified12Rural US vehicle ownership stable at 95% from 2010-2021
Verified13Urban carless households increased 5% from 2010-2020
Verified14Average age of owned vehicles in US households rose to 12.2 years in 2022
Directional15Low-income household ownership improved 8% from 2009-2021
Single source16Young adult (18-24) ownership dipped to 76% in 2022 from 82% in 2010
Verified17Global household car ownership projected to reach 30% by 2030
Verified18US household EV ownership forecasted to 15% by 2030
Verified19Multi-vehicle ownership in high-income households up 10% since 2010
Directional20Motorcycle ownership per household stable at 2% from 2010-2020
Single sourceTemporal Trends Interpretation
Despite the noble march towards electrification, Americans have defiantly doubled down on their love affair with the automobile, packing more aging trucks and SUVs into their driveways while sedans politely exit stage left.
Vehicle Type Ownership
154.8% of US households owned a passenger car in 2020
Verified238.2% of US households owned a pickup truck or van in 2020
Verified32.1 million US households owned motorcycles in 2019
Verified41.8% of US households owned an RV in 2021
Directional5In 2022, 9.5 million US households owned at least one SUV
Single source6Sedan ownership in US households dropped to 45% in 2022
Verified715% of US households owned a hybrid vehicle in 2023
Verified8Electric vehicle ownership reached 2.5% of US households in 2023
Verified928% of US households owned light trucks in 2021
Directional10Motorcycle ownership was highest at 3.2% in rural US households in 2020
Single source114.2% of high-income US households owned luxury vehicles in 2022
Verified12Minivan ownership in US was 6.8% of households in 2021
Verified131.1% of US households owned a Tesla in 2023
Verified14Sports car ownership stood at 2.3% in US households in 2022
Directional1512% of US households owned a crossover vehicle in 2022
Single source16Boat ownership complemented vehicle ownership in 3.5% of US households in 2021
VerifiedVehicle Type Ownership Interpretation
While America's love affair with the family sedan is cooling off, our driveways are becoming a monument to practical bulk, with SUVs and trucks dominating the landscape while electric vehicles quietly wait for their turn at the outlet.
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