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, 2 motor vehicles was the most common car-ownership level among households in Smithton, accounting for 33.8% (561 households). This share was lower than Circular Head (M) (35.3%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 3 or more motor vehicles, which increased by 38 households and 1.5 percentage points.
Section overview
Car ownership
Smithton - Households (Enumerated)
This table summarises number of cars per household for Smithton in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Circular Head (M) and change since 2016.
Car ownership snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Smithton, with comparison markers for Circular Head (M).
No motor vehicles
2021 count
86
% of total
5.2%
Change from 2016
-0.5pp
86
5.2%
-0.5pp
1 motor vehicle
2021 count
553
% of total
33.3%
Change from 2016
+0.7pp
553
33.3%
+0.7pp
2 motor vehicles
2021 count
561
% of total
33.8%
Change from 2016
-1.5pp
561
33.8%
-1.5pp
3 or more motor vehicles
2021 count
311
% of total
18.7%
Change from 2016
+1.5pp
311
18.7%
+1.5pp
Not stated
2021 count
150
% of total
9.0%
Change from 2016
-0.1pp
150
9.0%
-0.1pp
Chart view
Car ownership change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
No motor vehicles
-4
-0.5pp
1 motor vehicle
+37
+0.7pp
2 motor vehicles
+1
-1.5pp
3 or more motor vehicles
+38
+1.5pp
Not stated
+6
-0.1pp
Data table
Number of cars per household for Smithton. Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Circular Head (M).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Circular Head (M)% | Count | % | Circular Head (M)% | Count | pp | |
| No motor vehicles | 86 | 5.2% | 3.5% | 90 | 5.7% | 4.0% | -4 | -0.5pp |
| 1 motor vehicle | 553 | 33.3% | 29.9% | 516 | 32.6% | 29.0% | +37 | +0.7pp |
| 2 motor vehicles | 561 | 33.8% | 35.3% | 560 | 35.3% | 36.5% | +1 | -1.5pp |
| 3 or more motor vehicles | 311 | 18.7% | 22.1% | 273 | 17.2% | 20.6% | +38 | +1.5pp |
| Not stated | 150 | 9.0% | 9.5% | 144 | 9.1% | 10.1% | +6 | -0.1pp |
| Total households | 1,660 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 1,585 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +75 | 0.0pp |