The average annual miles driven in the U.S. is now 14,300 miles per year — even with work-from-home policies and virtual class time that swept the country in early 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration.
While the numbers have been steadily rising for years, many different factors determine the number of miles driven every year. Different demographics and regions all have various levels of average mileage.
Driving is a massive part of the American experience and considered to be in love with their cars. But with an increase in commute times and more people moving to far-reaching suburban or rural areas, the demand for vehicles keeps going up. As a result, the driving habits measured by the reveals some remarkable information.
Miles Driven by Different Groups:
Not everyone drives the same way or has the exact needs when it comes to their vehicle usage. Every driver is different, and they all contribute to specific categories used to evaluate average mileage driven. The U.S. Department of Transportation turns this information into an average to record current and historical trends.
Demographic averages aren't necessarily a representation of individual people. They are only a way to identify certain habits and try to nail down how most Americans drive. Of course, each person will have their own needs regarding the amount they drive, and some will be more or less than the average.
By Gender
Gender is used as a demographic by all kinds of agencies and organizations. Companies, somewhat controversially, use gender to calculate insurance premiums. The FHWA uses gender data to try and differentiate and analyze how often men and women drive and how that correlates to the national average miles driven per year.
Men: As of 2021, men drive an average of 16,550 miles per year. As a result of this, they often pay more for car insurance. However, this higher mileage per year means they will be more likely to be involved in an accident, which puts insurance companies at a higher risk.
Women: Women drive around 34% less than men, with an annual mileage of 10,142 miles. It is difficult to say why this discrepancy exists, but it has lessened over time. However, insurance companies still use it to determine their risk when covering a driver.
Age Groups
One of the places where average driving habits vary the most is in age demographics. People's driving needs tend to change as they age and their responsibilities shift. When this happens, the average annual mileage of an individual will vary as well.
One of the things that has a significant effect on the annual mileage for specific age groups is the cost of driving. As gas prices, insurance premiums, and vehicle costs go up, younger people tend to drive less. So there will likely always be a link between the average annual salary of an age group and the average annual mileage of that same group.
16-19: On average, males in this age group drive 8,206 miles per year, and females drive 6,873 miles per year. In general, fewer teens are becoming licensed drivers than once were. It could be related to the influence of the internet, where socialization and freedom have become less dependent on physical location, which results in fewer teen drivers. In addition, teens are increasingly likely to put off getting a driver's license because of the higher costs of having a car, relying on rideshare services, Uber and Lyft ride-hailing, and mass transit instead.
20-34: It's the age group that sees the most significant increase in annual mileage from the previous one. Males ages 20 to 34 drive an average of 17,976 miles annually, and females drive an average of 12,004 miles per year. That's almost double the previous tier and could result from busier lives, commutes, and more demanding work.
35-54: People ages 35 to 54 are by far the most active drivers in the United States. It's usually when people's lives are the busiest and do the work commute the most. And it's also when most people have children, translating to a greater amount of miles annually driving to and from school and other events. As a result, men in this age group go an average of 18,858 miles per year, and women drive 11,464 miles.
55-64: Most people's driving habits start to wind down as they age. Because of this, people who are 55 to 64 years old drive fewer miles per year than their younger counterparts. For example, on average, males in this age group drive 15,859 miles annually. But females average just 7,780 miles in the same group.
65+ Retirement tends to have one of the most significant effects on annual miles driven out of anything. Once people retire, they spend more time at home and less time out on the road. Men over the age of 65 will drive an average of 10,304 miles a year, and women in this age group have the lowest annual mileage at only 4,785 miles.
By State:
The state that someone lives in will have a considerable effect on their driving habits. Different areas of the United States have widely diverse landscapes, weather patterns, and demographics of people. All of these factors will determine how much a person drives while living in the state.
Furthermore, people who live in certain cities within a state may drive more or less than others. Heavily populated urban areas are usually easier to get around without a car than in a rural part of the state. That could lower the average annual mileage of a state.
The total population will also have a significant effect on the average annual mileage rate. The yearly mileage of a state may not reflect whether individual drivers cover more miles.
For example, California is an incredibly populous state and accounts for more than 340 billion miles driven. However, individual drivers in California only drive 12,524 miles per year, far below the national average.
States Where People Drive the Most:
Compared to California, drivers in Wyoming account for a total of just 10 billion miles a year. However, the average person drives 24,069 miles per year. They lead the nation in average mileage, and there are several reasons for this. The most likely is the geography of the state. The sheer number of square miles California covers and the lifestyle of the residents means that traveling by car is a necessity and part of the local economy and daily life. On top of that, there isn't nearly as much public transportation as there is in other, more populated states.
Other states where residents log more miles on their odometer than the national average but have a smaller population include Mississippi, Indiana, Kentucky, and Missouri. These places all have relatively large metropolitan areas, but much of the population occupy rural parts of the state. Therefore, residents have to rely on their cars more, primarily if they work in the bigger cities.
These kinds of insights are precisely why the U.S. Department of Transportation gathers this data. It gives a fascinating look into how people are living and working in the United States.
States Where People Drive the Least:
The states where Americans drive the least are the most likely to have large urban centers and communities where public transit is more popular. States like New York and California log relatively large numbers for the entire state, but individuals drive far less on average.
California, for example, has an individual average of just 12,524 miles per year despite being the most populous state in the U.S. Areas in and around major cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco have comprehensive public transit systems. And most people are only traveling short distances within the densely populated cities.
Of course, smaller states also have smaller total averages as well as smaller individual averages. That's partly due to the smaller population and the fact that there is less physical distance for people to go. For example, Rhode Island averages just 7 billion miles total and only 9,961 miles per driver. Washington, D.C. also has a small total yearly average of 3 billion miles and 7,013 per driver.
Why Average Annual Mileage Matters
Finding out data like average miles has a purpose that goes beyond learning people's driving habits. It can also help with things like setting prices and understanding what the demands are for services.
For example, many states and municipalities will use data like this to set their budgets for things like road improvements and law enforcement. That gives them a good idea of who uses their roads and how often they will need maintenance and upkeep.
Fuel-Efficient Vehicle Sales
The average annual mileage for individuals in a state will help set the demand for fuel-efficient vehicles. In places where motorists have high average mileage, manufacturers will determine that fuel-efficient cars like hybrids and EVs will be more in demand than in areas where people simply aren't driving as much.
Places with incredibly low annual mileage may also see an influx of fuel-efficient vehicles. The ability to let an EV sit for long periods without being driven typically appeals to people in large urban areas where cars are only needed on certain occasions. This data allows manufacturers to find out where their markets are and where their vehicles will be the most in-demand.
Car Insurance Rates
One of the most important reasons that this data is gathered is so car insurance companies can set their rates. In places like Texas and Florida, where both individual drivers log a large number of miles and as a whole, auto insurance rates are going to be much higher. It is because rates are set based on the company's risk when it comes to car accidents. So if you live in a state with a high annual average, you will pay more for your car insurance regardless of if you are a safe driver or not. However, some insurance companies will offer a low-mileage discount if you shop around.
Used Car Prices
Used car prices in your area will also be set based on the number of miles the average driver logs per year. Therefore, a used car's price is very much dependent on the vehicle miles on the odometer when it goes up for sale. However, if you live in an area where vehicles generally see a lot of use or where people depend on their cars to get around as their only option, cars are likely going to be more in demand than they would be in areas where there is a comprehensive and dependable public transit system. As a result, you may see higher prices for cars in places where they have more value.
Gas Prices
Gas prices are also set by the total number of miles driven on average in a state. In places where fossil fuels are in high demand, you will probably see higher gas prices than you would in an area with fewer regular drivers. Of course, this won't apply in large urban centers where costs of all goods are generally higher. You will mostly see low prices in places like Alabama and Wyoming, where the demand for fuel is lower, and people aren't logging as many miles per year as they are in other parts of the country. Remote states such as Alaska and Hawaii can have widely varying fuel costs too.
Final Thoughts
Every year, the average miles driven by individuals can give a great insight into how Americans drive and what they need from their automobiles. By understanding drivers' habits across the country, traffic patterns can be adjusted to accommodate more cars on the road. States and cities take this into account, and transit agencies convince more drivers to take alternative transportation. Employers think about it, too.
While the habits of someone living in Georgia may be different than someone living in Oklahoma, knowing how to find a happy medium between those two regions can help push the creation of the best cars and SUVs for the average American.
