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States where the most households own more than the typical 2 vehicles

If you are one of the millions of Americans who commutes to work every day or otherwise relies on a car to get around, you are among the majority. Most Americans have access to at least one vehicle, and in fact, the average American household owns two. Around 8% of Americans don’t own any vehicles, while two is most common, and 1 in 5 households owns three or more vehicles, according to Census Bureau data.

Stacker ranked states which had the largest portion of households that own more than the typical two vehicles using Census Bureau data from 2021, the most recent data available.

Whether your household has more than one vehicle depends in part on where you live. For instance, the states where the largest portions of the public own three or more vehicles are what some people call “flyover” states and mountainous regions of the U.S., where other forms of transportation are likely not as easily accessible.

Similarly, rural areas tend to have a higher percentage of these many-vehicle-owning households. For this list, Stacker used Census Bureau data on metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas to determine the percentage of eligible households located in urban and rural areas, respectively. Percentages do not add to 100 because some of the population live in areas defined as mixed metropolitan by the Census Bureau.

Owning a vehicle is not cheap, so it’s no surprise that households that own three or more vehicles also tend to boast above-average household incomes.

Stacker

Mountainous states lead the U.S. in vehicle ownership by household

Among states with the largest concentration of households with many vehicles, so-called “flyover” states top the list. These central states—which have fewer inhabitants than the East and West Coasts—are called “flyovers” due to the high number of cross-country flights that pass over them.

There are likely several factors that led to this, including more limited access to alternative forms of transportation, a larger rural population, and greater average household size.

Alan Budman // Shutterstock

51. District of Columbia

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 4.04%
– Those households’ median income: $210,000

4% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
Data not available about how many rural households have more than 2 vehicles

ND700 // Shutterstock

50. New York

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 14.32%
– Those households’ median income: $141,800

13% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
18% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Civdis // Shutterstock

49. Florida

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 16.71%
– Those households’ median income: $109,100

16% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
21% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

rSnapshotPhotos // Shutterstock

48. Louisiana

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 17.10%
– Those households’ median income: $98,000

16% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
21% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

rSnapshotPhotos // Shutterstock

47. Massachusetts

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 17.60%
– Those households’ median income: $162,000

17% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
Data not available about how many rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Imagenet // Shutterstock

46. Rhode Island

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 18.29%
– Those households’ median income: $134,000

18% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
Data not available about how many rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Yauhen_D // Shutterstock

45. New Jersey

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 19.93%
– Those households’ median income: $160,000

20% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
Data not available about how many rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Bilanol // Shutterstock

44. Illinois

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 20.01%
– Those households’ median income: $116,000

18% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
25% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Imagenet // Shutterstock

43. Vermont

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 20.07%
– Those households’ median income: $115,000

19% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
20% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

David Smart // Shutterstock

42. Delaware

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 20.26%
– Those households’ median income: $116,300

20% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
Data not available about how many rural households have more than 2 vehicles

SKT Studio // Shutterstock

41. Maine

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 20.75%
– Those households’ median income: $105,000

21% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
21% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Alizada Studios // Shutterstock

40. West Virginia

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 20.86%
– Those households’ median income: $96,000

17% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
22% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Christian Hinkle // Shutterstock

39. Pennsylvania

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 21.10%
– Those households’ median income: $115,650

20% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
24% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Bilanol // Shutterstock

38. Michigan

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 21.25%
– Those households’ median income: $108,900

21% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
22% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Miro Vrlik Photography // Shutterstock

37. Connecticut

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 21.30%
– Those households’ median income: $153,000

21% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
24% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

oksana.perkins // Shutterstock

36. Alaska

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 21.36%
– Those households’ median income: $135,300

23% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
9% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

trekandshoot // Shutterstock

35. Nevada

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 22.21%
– Those households’ median income: $112,700

21% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
35% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Denise Kappa // Shutterstock

34. Ohio

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 22.22%
– Those households’ median income: $105,200

21% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
28% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Allison J. Hahn // Shutterstock

33. Arizona

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 22.25%
– Those households’ median income: $110,500

22% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
24% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

tokar // Shutterstock

32. Maryland

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 22.99%
– Those households’ median income: $152,000

23% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
Data not available about how many rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Roschetzky Photography // Shutterstock

31. Texas

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 23.10%
– Those households’ median income: $107,000

22% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
23% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Rise Up Aerial // Shutterstock

30. New Hampshire

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 23.92%
– Those households’ median income: $137,100

23% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
24% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

TLF Images // Shutterstock

29. Mississippi

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 24.06%
– Those households’ median income: $87,200

24% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
24% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Kristi Blokhin // Shutterstock

28. South Carolina

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 24.07%
– Those households’ median income: $95,000

23% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
24% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

anthony heflin // Shutterstock

27. Kentucky

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 24.17%
– Those households’ median income: $94,300

20% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
25% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

K.E.V // Shutterstock

26. Indiana

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 24.33%
– Those households’ median income: $99,000

22% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
28% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

shuttersv // Shutterstock

25. Arkansas

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 24.49%
– Those households’ median income: $85,000

24% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
26% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Sabrina Janelle Gordon // Shutterstock

24. Missouri

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 24.65%
– Those households’ median income: $99,400

22% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
28% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Gorloff-KV // Shutterstock

23. Georgia

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 24.96%
– Those households’ median income: $104,700

23% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
27% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

lumen-digital // Shutterstock

22. Oklahoma

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 25.26%
– Those households’ median income: $89,000

22% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
28% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Stephanie Braconnier // Shutterstock

21. Oregon

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 25.37%
– Those households’ median income: $110,000

24% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
35% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Alexandre G. ROSA // Shutterstock

20. Hawaii

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 25.53%
– Those households’ median income: $157,500

24% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
27% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

turtix // Shutterstock

19. New Mexico

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 25.83%
– Those households’ median income: $91,400

25% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
28% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Bilanol // Shutterstock

18. North Carolina

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 25.88%
– Those households’ median income: $97,000

24% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
28% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

ADLC // Shutterstock

17. California

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 26.33%
– Those households’ median income: $129,000

26% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
29% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Gorloff-KV // Shutterstock

16. Tennessee

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 26.62%
– Those households’ median income: $97,000

24% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
30% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Foolish Productions // Shutterstock

15. Virginia

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 26.80%
– Those households’ median income: $125,000

24% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
31% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

James Meyer // Shutterstock

14. Wisconsin

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 26.88%
– Those households’ median income: $105,100

22% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
29% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Kevin Ruck // Shutterstock

13. Alabama

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 26.93%
– Those households’ median income: $92,000

26% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
31% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Ann Cantelow // Shutterstock

12. Colorado

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 27.01%
– Those households’ median income: $124,700

26% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
33% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Bilanol // Shutterstock

11. Washington

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 27.98%
– Those households’ median income: $124,000

27% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
31% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

SkunkChunk // Shutterstock

10. Kansas

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 28.69%
– Those households’ median income: $97,900

24% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
32% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Allison J. Hahn // Shutterstock

9. Iowa

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 28.93%
– Those households’ median income: $96,410

24% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
31% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Sandra Burm // Shutterstock

8. Minnesota

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 29.97%
– Those households’ median income: $113,000

23% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
35% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock

7. Nebraska

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 30.74%
– Those households’ median income: $100,000

21% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
38% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock

6. South Dakota

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 33.56%
– Those households’ median income: $95,300

23% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
33% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock

5. Wyoming

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 33.58%
– Those households’ median income: $94,000

Data not available about how many urban households have more than 2 vehicles
35% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Charles Knowles // Shutterstock

4. Idaho

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 34.47%
– Those households’ median income: $93,300

31% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
38% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Kirkam // Shutterstock

3. North Dakota

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 34.84%
– Those households’ median income: $100,000

27% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
38% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Jason Finn // Shutterstock

2. Utah

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 35.15%
– Those households’ median income: $122,100

34% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
37% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Jim Black // Shutterstock

1. Montana

– Share of households that own more than 2 vehicles: 36.45%
– Those households’ median income: $92,840

27% urban households have more than 2 vehicles
34% rural households have more than 2 vehicles

Data reporting by Dom DiFurio. Story editing by Jeff Inglis. Copy editing by Tim Bruns. Photo selection by Clarese Moller.