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 Forbes (A), accounting for 36.2% (1,289 households). This share was lower than Regional NSW (37.2%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 1 motor vehicle, which increased by 137 households and 3.3 percentage points.
Section overview
Car ownership
Forbes (A) - Households (Enumerated)
This table summarises number of cars per household for Forbes (A) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional NSW and change since 2016.
Chart view
Car ownership snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Forbes (A), with comparison markers for Regional NSW.
No motor vehicles
2021 count
183
% of total
5.1%
Change from 2016
-0.6pp
183
5.1%
-0.6pp
1 motor vehicle
2021 count
1,228
% of total
34.5%
Change from 2016
+3.3pp
1,228
34.5%
+3.3pp
2 motor vehicles
2021 count
1,289
% of total
36.2%
Change from 2016
-0.9pp
1,289
36.2%
-0.9pp
3 or more motor vehicles
2021 count
776
% of total
21.8%
Change from 2016
+0.5pp
776
21.8%
+0.5pp
Not stated
2021 count
87
% of total
2.4%
Change from 2016
-2.5pp
87
2.4%
-2.5pp
Car ownership change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
No motor vehicles
-17
-0.6pp
1 motor vehicle
+137
+3.3pp
2 motor vehicles
-7
-0.9pp
3 or more motor vehicles
+30
+0.5pp
Not stated
-84
-2.5pp
Data table
Number of cars per household for Forbes (A). Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional NSW.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Regional NSW% | Count | % | Regional NSW% | Count | pp | |
| No motor vehicles | 183 | 5.1% | 5.5% | 200 | 5.7% | 6.1% | -17 | -0.6pp |
| 1 motor vehicle | 1,228 | 34.5% | 35.0% | 1,091 | 31.2% | 35.0% | +137 | +3.3pp |
| 2 motor vehicles | 1,289 | 36.2% | 37.2% | 1,296 | 37.1% | 36.2% | -7 | -0.9pp |
| 3 or more motor vehicles | 776 | 21.8% | 20.7% | 746 | 21.3% | 18.4% | +30 | +0.5pp |
| Not stated | 87 | 2.4% | 1.7% | 171 | 4.9% | 4.2% | -84 | -2.5pp |
| Total households | 3,563 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 3,496 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +67 | 0.0pp |