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.

Key insight

In 2021, 1 motor vehicle was the most common car-ownership level among households in Sunshine West, accounting for 35.5% (2,316 households). This share was higher than Brimbank (C) (32.2%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 1 motor vehicle, which increased by 171 households and 1.8 percentage points.

Section overview

Car ownership

Sunshine West - Households (Enumerated)

This table summarises number of cars per household for Sunshine West in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Brimbank (C) and change since 2016.

Car ownership snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Sunshine West, with comparison markers for Brimbank (C).

Sunshine West
Brimbank (C)

No motor vehicles

2021 count

488

% of total

7.5%

Change from 2016

-0.5pp

1 motor vehicle

2021 count

2,316

% of total

35.5%

Change from 2016

+1.8pp

2 motor vehicles

2021 count

2,165

% of total

33.2%

Change from 2016

+0.9pp

3 or more motor vehicles

2021 count

1,176

% of total

18.0%

Change from 2016

+1.2pp

Not stated

2021 count

383

% of total

5.9%

Change from 2016

-3.2pp

Data table

Number of cars per household for Sunshine West. Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Brimbank (C).

Number of cars per household for Sunshine West. Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Brimbank (C).
Number of cars per household for Sunshine West. Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Brimbank (C).
Category20212016Change
Count%Brimbank (C)%Count%Brimbank (C)%Countpp
No motor vehicles4887.5%6.7%5068.0%6.8%-18-0.5pp
1 motor vehicle2,31635.5%32.2%2,14533.7%30.3%+171+1.8pp
2 motor vehicles2,16533.2%34.2%2,05032.3%34.3%+115+0.9pp
3 or more motor vehicles1,17618.0%20.3%1,06916.8%19.8%+107+1.2pp
Not stated3835.9%6.6%5819.1%8.8%-198-3.2pp
Total households6,521100.0%100.0%6,356100.0%100.0%+1650.0pp