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, 1 motor vehicle was the most common car-ownership level among households in Greater Dandenong (C), accounting for 36.2% (18,686 households). This share was lower than Greater Melbourne (36.7%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 2 motor vehicles, which increased by 1,718 households and 1.3 percentage points.

Section overview

Car ownership

Greater Dandenong (C) - Households (Enumerated)

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

Car ownership snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Greater Dandenong (C), with comparison markers for Greater Melbourne.

Greater Dandenong (C)
Greater Melbourne

No motor vehicles

2021 count

4,184

% of total

8.1%

Change from 2016

-0.5pp

1 motor vehicle

2021 count

18,686

% of total

36.2%

Change from 2016

+0.8pp

2 motor vehicles

2021 count

17,920

% of total

34.7%

Change from 2016

+1.3pp

3 or more motor vehicles

2021 count

9,866

% of total

19.1%

Change from 2016

+1.2pp

Not stated

2021 count

1,021

% of total

2.0%

Change from 2016

-2.7pp

Data table

Number of cars per household for Greater Dandenong (C). Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Greater Melbourne.

Number of cars per household for Greater Dandenong (C). Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Greater Melbourne.
Number of cars per household for Greater Dandenong (C). Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Greater Melbourne.
Category20212016Change
Count%Greater Melbourne%Count%Greater Melbourne%Countpp
No motor vehicles4,1848.1%8.5%4,1978.6%8.7%-13-0.5pp
1 motor vehicle18,68636.2%36.7%17,17135.4%34.7%+1,515+0.8pp
2 motor vehicles17,92034.7%36.5%16,20233.4%36.6%+1,718+1.3pp
3 or more motor vehicles9,86619.1%17.0%8,70917.9%16.8%+1,157+1.2pp
Not stated1,0212.0%1.3%2,2794.7%3.2%-1,258-2.7pp
Total households51,670100.0%100.0%48,563100.0%100.0%+3,1070.0pp