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, 1 motor vehicle was the most common car-ownership level among households in Mackay, accounting for 42.7% (830 households). This share was higher than Mackay (R) (29.4%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 1 motor vehicle, which increased by 139 households and 2.2 percentage points.
Section overview
Car ownership
Mackay - Households (Enumerated)
This table summarises number of cars per household for Mackay in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Mackay (R) and change since 2016.
Car ownership snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Mackay, with comparison markers for Mackay (R).
No motor vehicles
2021 count
246
% of total
12.7%
Change from 2016
-4.5pp
246
12.7%
-4.5pp
1 motor vehicle
2021 count
830
% of total
42.7%
Change from 2016
+2.2pp
830
42.7%
+2.2pp
2 motor vehicles
2021 count
397
% of total
20.4%
Change from 2016
+1.7pp
397
20.4%
+1.7pp
3 or more motor vehicles
2021 count
148
% of total
7.6%
Change from 2016
+0.5pp
148
7.6%
+0.5pp
Not stated
2021 count
323
% of total
16.6%
Change from 2016
+0.6pp
323
16.6%
+0.6pp
Chart view
Car ownership change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
No motor vehicles
-48
-4.5pp
1 motor vehicle
+139
+2.2pp
2 motor vehicles
+78
+1.7pp
3 or more motor vehicles
+27
+0.5pp
Not stated
+50
+0.6pp
Data table
Number of cars per household for Mackay. Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Mackay (R).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Mackay (R)% | Count | % | Mackay (R)% | Count | pp | |
| No motor vehicles | 246 | 12.7% | 3.9% | 294 | 17.2% | 4.7% | -48 | -4.5pp |
| 1 motor vehicle | 830 | 42.7% | 29.4% | 691 | 40.5% | 29.6% | +139 | +2.2pp |
| 2 motor vehicles | 397 | 20.4% | 36.3% | 319 | 18.7% | 36.9% | +78 | +1.7pp |
| 3 or more motor vehicles | 148 | 7.6% | 22.1% | 121 | 7.1% | 19.1% | +27 | +0.5pp |
| Not stated | 323 | 16.6% | 8.2% | 273 | 16.0% | 9.7% | +50 | +0.6pp |
| Total households | 1,942 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 1,705 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +237 | 0.0pp |