Car Ownership Statistics in the US

The United States had 284.6 million registered vehicles in 2023, an increase of about 2.4 million from 2022 and the highest total on record. Yet 8.4% of households, roughly 11.1 million, report having no vehicle at all.

Ownership and reliance on cars vary sharply by geography. Rural areas are almost universally car dependent, while dense urban regions combine lower ownership with better transit options. At the same time, trucks and SUVs now make up most of the national fleet, and electric vehicles, though growing quickly, still make up a small, unevenly distributed share of vehicles on the road.

Federal Highway Administration data shows total vehicle registrations climbed to 284,614,269 in 2023, an increase of approximately 2.4 million vehicles from 2022, continuing a decade-long growth trend that added 28.7 million vehicles since 2013, an 11.2% increase over 10 years.

California leads the nation with 31.1 million registered vehicles, followed by Texas with 23.5 million and Florida with 19.5 million. Together, these three states account for more than one-quarter of all registered vehicles in the U.S.

At the other end of the scale are Washington, D.C., Vermont and Wyoming, which have the smallest vehicle fleets nationally. These low totals reflect very different conditions, including dense urban environments with extensive transit options in D.C. and sparse populations spread across large geographic areas in states such as Wyoming.

The composition of the fleet has shifted dramatically. Trucks, a category that includes pickups, many SUVs and vans, now make up the largest share of vehicles in the United States.

About 177 million vehicles fall into the truck category, representing 62% of the national fleet, while 97 million automobiles account for about 34% of registrations. This truck heavy fleet burns more fuel, adds to road maintenance needs and often leads to higher repair and insurance costs when crashes happen.

As the fleet continues to tilt toward trucks, these effects increasingly shape household budgets and transportation policy discussions. Motorcycles account for the remaining 3.3% of the fleet, with about 9.5 million registrations nationwide, concentrated primarily in California, Florida and Texas.

Electric vehicle registration data reflects 2023 state‑level registrations, the most recent year available that aligns with federal vehicle registration and travel statistics.

The electric vehicle transition is creating two Americas: one where EVs are common, another where they are nearly invisible. California residents are 28 times more likely to drive electric than Mississippians, with 3,410 EVs per 100,000 people compared to just 121.

About 3.56 million battery‑electric vehicles are registered nationwide, just 1.25% of the U.S. vehicle fleet. California accounts for about 1.26 million EVs, more than one third of the national total, while Florida and Texas rank second and third. Together, these three states hold just under half of all registered electric vehicles in the country.

Several states, including North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming, report EV registrations in the low thousands. Limited charging infrastructure, cold weather performance concerns and economic barriers contribute to slower adoption in these regions.

The result is a two track transition shaped by income, infrastructure availability and geography. Coastal and urban states continue to add electric vehicles at a faster pace, while most of the country still relies overwhelmingly on gasoline powered vehicles. States with the most expensive gasoline, densest charging networks and strongest purchase incentives have adoption rates five to 30 times higher than states where those conditions do not exist.

Vehicle ownership alone does not capture how heavily Americans rely on their cars. Travel data highlights stark differences in driving patterns across states.

Wyoming residents drive an average of 16,501 miles per person each year, more than three times the rate in Washington, D.C., at 5,048 miles. New York residents average about 5,944 miles per person, reflecting lower car dependence in transit‑rich regions.

States with the highest per capita driving often have long distances between destinations, limited public transit and economies tied to agriculture, energy or resource extraction. Driving patterns and driver behavior vary considerably by state, affecting both safety and insurance costs. Low mileage states are concentrated around dense cities with established transit networks.

In many rural states, more than one in four miles driven is by a truck, reflecting the dominance of resource extraction, agriculture and long haul freight in these economies. This truck heavy travel pattern contributes to higher roadway maintenance costs and shapes regional insurance markets.

These differences highlight a central divide in car dependence. In much of rural America, losing access to a vehicle can limit access to work, healthcare and essential services. In large urban centers, the consequences are less severe.

Record high ownership coexists with millions of households that have no access to a car. The 2023 American Community Survey shows that 8.4% of households nationwide, about 11.1 million, fall into this category.

Non‑ownership is heavily concentrated in major cities. In Washington, D.C., more than one third of households report having no vehicle, with similarly elevated rates in New York City and other dense metro areas.

In suburban and rural regions, vehicle ownership is nearly universal. In many of these areas, public transportation options are limited or nonexistent, making car access critical for daily life.

Households without vehicles are more likely to have lower incomes, rent rather than own housing and deal with barriers to employment and essential services. This reinforces broader economic inequalities tied to transportation access.

No part of the data shows wider gaps than metro level car ownership, where geography and transit access can double or halve the likelihood of owning a vehicle. According to 2024 American Community Survey estimates, metro areas show dramatic differences in vehicle ownership rates and the number of vehicles per household.

Some metros with the highest vehicle ownership are not the largest or fastest growing regions, but smaller metros where daily life often requires multiple vehicles per household. The Daphne‑Fairhope‑Foley metropolitan area in Alabama had one of the highest vehicle ownership rates at 95.9%, while the New York metropolitan area, one of the most densely populated regions, had only 68.6% of households owning a car.

Overall, car ownership across metro areas in the U.S. ranges widely, with the average number of cars per household varying from 1.19 in New York‑Newark‑Jersey City to 2.12 in Provo‑Orem‑Lehi, Utah.