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.
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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
2 / 5251. 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
3 / 5250. 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
4 / 5249. 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
5 / 5248. 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
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rSnapshotPhotos // Shutterstock
6 / 5247. 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
7 / 5246. 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
8 / 5245. 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
9 / 5244. 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
10 / 5243. 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
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David Smart // Shutterstock
11 / 5242. 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
12 / 5241. 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
13 / 5240. 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
14 / 5239. 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
15 / 5238. 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
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Miro Vrlik Photography // Shutterstock
16 / 5237. 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
17 / 5236. 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
18 / 5235. 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
19 / 5234. 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
20 / 5233. 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
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tokar // Shutterstock
21 / 5232. 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
22 / 5231. 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
23 / 5230. 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
24 / 5229. 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
25 / 5228. 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
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anthony heflin // Shutterstock
26 / 5227. 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
27 / 5226. 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
28 / 5225. 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
29 / 5224. 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
30 / 5223. 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
31 / 5222. 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
32 / 5221. 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
33 / 5220. 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
34 / 5219. 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
35 / 5218. 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
36 / 5217. 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
37 / 5216. 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
38 / 5215. 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
39 / 5214. 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
40 / 5213. 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
41 / 5212. 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
42 / 5211. 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
43 / 5210. 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
44 / 529. 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
45 / 528. 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
46 / 527. 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
47 / 526. 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
48 / 525. 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
49 / 524. 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
50 / 523. 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
51 / 522. 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
52 / 521. 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.
