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 Carrum Downs, accounting for 38.2% (3,295 households). This share was higher than Frankston (C) (37.5%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 1 motor vehicle, which increased by 479 households and 2.4 percentage points.

Section overview

Car ownership

Carrum Downs - Households (Enumerated)

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

Car ownership snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Carrum Downs, with comparison markers for Frankston (C).

Carrum Downs
Frankston (C)

No motor vehicles

2021 count

381

% of total

4.4%

Change from 2016

+0.5pp

1 motor vehicle

2021 count

3,026

% of total

35.1%

Change from 2016

+2.4pp

2 motor vehicles

2021 count

3,295

% of total

38.2%

Change from 2016

+0.9pp

3 or more motor vehicles

2021 count

1,534

% of total

17.8%

Change from 2016

+0.9pp

Not stated

2021 count

390

% of total

4.5%

Change from 2016

-4.5pp

Data table

Number of cars per household for Carrum Downs. Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Frankston (C).

Number of cars per household for Carrum Downs. Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Frankston (C).
Number of cars per household for Carrum Downs. Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Frankston (C).
Category20212016Change
Count%Frankston (C)%Count%Frankston (C)%Countpp
No motor vehicles3814.4%5.5%3073.9%5.7%+74+0.5pp
1 motor vehicle3,02635.1%34.1%2,54732.7%32.5%+479+2.4pp
2 motor vehicles3,29538.2%37.5%2,90937.3%36.6%+386+0.9pp
3 or more motor vehicles1,53417.8%17.7%1,31916.9%16.4%+215+0.9pp
Not stated3904.5%5.3%7019.0%8.8%-311-4.5pp
Total households8,625100.0%100.0%7,797100.0%100.0%+8280.0pp