Housing
Number of cars per household
About this topic
Number of cars per household shows how many registered motor vehicles are available to people living in a household. It is a measure of access to private transport rather than total travel activity.
This topic is useful for understanding mobility, transport choice, and access to jobs and services. It should be read with public transport availability, household type, income, and travel to work, because high or low car ownership can reflect very different local conditions.
Interpretation notes
- This measures registered motor vehicles owned or used by residents that were garaged or parked at or near the dwelling on Census night.
- Vehicle counts are a household access measure, not a direct measure of how often people drive or commute.
Related topics
Key insight
In 2021, 1 motor vehicle was the most common car-ownership level among households in Alice Springs (T), accounting for 36.1% (3,213 households). This share was higher than Regional NT (35.2%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 1 motor vehicle, which increased by 345 households and 0.5 percentage points.
Section overview
Car ownership
Alice Springs (T) - Households (Enumerated)
This table summarises number of cars per household for Alice Springs (T) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional NT and change since 2016.
Car ownership snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Alice Springs (T), with comparison markers for Regional NT.
No motor vehicles
2021 count
756
% of total
8.5%
Change from 2016
+0.9pp
756
8.5%
+0.9pp
1 motor vehicle
2021 count
3,213
% of total
36.1%
Change from 2016
+0.5pp
3,213
36.1%
+0.5pp
2 motor vehicles
2021 count
3,003
% of total
33.8%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
3,003
33.8%
0.0pp
3 or more motor vehicles
2021 count
1,710
% of total
19.2%
Change from 2016
+1.2pp
1,710
19.2%
+1.2pp
Not stated
2021 count
207
% of total
2.3%
Change from 2016
-2.7pp
207
2.3%
-2.7pp
Chart view
Car ownership change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
No motor vehicles
+144
+0.9pp
1 motor vehicle
+345
+0.5pp
2 motor vehicles
+279
0.0pp
3 or more motor vehicles
+260
+1.2pp
Not stated
-196
-2.7pp
Data table
Number of cars per household for Alice Springs (T). Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional NT.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Regional NT% | Count | % | Regional NT% | Count | pp | |
| No motor vehicles | 756 | 8.5% | 21.6% | 612 | 7.6% | 21.2% | +144 | +0.9pp |
| 1 motor vehicle | 3,213 | 36.1% | 35.2% | 2,868 | 35.6% | 34.1% | +345 | +0.5pp |
| 2 motor vehicles | 3,003 | 33.8% | 25.9% | 2,724 | 33.8% | 25.3% | +279 | 0.0pp |
| 3 or more motor vehicles | 1,710 | 19.2% | 13.8% | 1,450 | 18.0% | 12.8% | +260 | +1.2pp |
| Not stated | 207 | 2.3% | 3.4% | 403 | 5.0% | 6.6% | -196 | -2.7pp |
| Total households | 8,891 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 8,059 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +832 | 0.0pp |