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 Darwin (C), accounting for 37.4% (10,629 households). This share was lower than Greater Darwin (38.7%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 1 motor vehicle, which increased by 1,647 households and 2.7 percentage points.
Section overview
Car ownership
Darwin (C) - Households (Enumerated)
This table summarises number of cars per household for Darwin (C) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Greater Darwin and change since 2016.
Car ownership snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Darwin (C), with comparison markers for Greater Darwin.
No motor vehicles
2021 count
1,923
% of total
6.8%
Change from 2016
+0.3pp
1,923
6.8%
+0.3pp
1 motor vehicle
2021 count
10,445
% of total
36.7%
Change from 2016
+2.7pp
10,445
36.7%
+2.7pp
2 motor vehicles
2021 count
10,629
% of total
37.4%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
10,629
37.4%
0.0pp
3 or more motor vehicles
2021 count
4,902
% of total
17.2%
Change from 2016
-0.5pp
4,902
17.2%
-0.5pp
Not stated
2021 count
562
% of total
2.0%
Change from 2016
-2.4pp
562
2.0%
-2.4pp
Chart view
Car ownership change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
No motor vehicles
+236
+0.3pp
1 motor vehicle
+1,647
+2.7pp
2 motor vehicles
+932
0.0pp
3 or more motor vehicles
+326
-0.5pp
Not stated
-586
-2.4pp
Data table
Number of cars per household for Darwin (C). Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Greater Darwin.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Greater Darwin% | Count | % | Greater Darwin% | Count | pp | |
| No motor vehicles | 1,923 | 6.8% | 5.5% | 1,687 | 6.5% | 5.3% | +236 | +0.3pp |
| 1 motor vehicle | 10,445 | 36.7% | 33.3% | 8,798 | 34.0% | 30.3% | +1,647 | +2.7pp |
| 2 motor vehicles | 10,629 | 37.4% | 38.7% | 9,697 | 37.4% | 39.0% | +932 | 0.0pp |
| 3 or more motor vehicles | 4,902 | 17.2% | 20.6% | 4,576 | 17.7% | 20.9% | +326 | -0.5pp |
| Not stated | 562 | 2.0% | 2.0% | 1,148 | 4.4% | 4.5% | -586 | -2.4pp |
| Total households | 28,456 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 25,905 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +2,551 | 0.0pp |