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, 2 motor vehicles was the most common car-ownership level among households in Brinsmead, accounting for 49.3% (936 households). This share was higher than Cairns (R) (37.5%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 2 motor vehicles, which increased by 932 households and 18.5 percentage points.

Section overview

Car ownership

Brinsmead - Households (Enumerated)

This table summarises number of cars per household for Brinsmead in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Cairns (R) and change since 2016.

Car ownership snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Brinsmead, with comparison markers for Cairns (R).

Brinsmead
Cairns (R)

No motor vehicles

2021 count

34

% of total

1.8%

Change from 2016

+1.8pp

1 motor vehicle

2021 count

487

% of total

25.7%

Change from 2016

-43.5pp

2 motor vehicles

2021 count

936

% of total

49.3%

Change from 2016

+18.5pp

3 or more motor vehicles

2021 count

416

% of total

21.9%

Change from 2016

-1.2pp

Not stated

2021 count

23

% of total

1.2%

Change from 2016

-21.9pp

Data table

Number of cars per household for Brinsmead. Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Cairns (R).

Number of cars per household for Brinsmead. Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Cairns (R).
Number of cars per household for Brinsmead. Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Cairns (R).
Category20212016Change
Count%Cairns (R)%Count%Cairns (R)%Countpp
No motor vehicles341.8%6.3%00.0%6.9%+34+1.8pp
1 motor vehicle48725.7%37.0%969.2%36.5%+478-43.5pp
2 motor vehicles93649.3%37.5%430.8%37.0%+932+18.5pp
3 or more motor vehicles41621.9%17.4%323.1%15.4%+413-1.2pp
Not stated231.2%1.8%323.1%4.1%+20-21.9pp
Total households1,897100.0%100.0%13100.0%100.0%+1,8840.0pp