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, no motor vehicles was the most common car-ownership level among households in Palm Island (S), accounting for 47.9% (235 households). This share was higher than Regional Qld (5.1%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in no motor vehicles, which decreased by 27 households and 6.3 percentage points.

Section overview

Car ownership

Palm Island (S) - Households (Enumerated)

This table summarises number of cars per household for Palm Island (S) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional Qld and change since 2016.

Car ownership snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Palm Island (S), with comparison markers for Regional Qld.

Palm Island (S)
Regional Qld

No motor vehicles

2021 count

235

% of total

47.9%

Change from 2016

-6.3pp

1 motor vehicle

2021 count

172

% of total

35.0%

Change from 2016

+3.3pp

2 motor vehicles

2021 count

57

% of total

11.6%

Change from 2016

+1.0pp

3 or more motor vehicles

2021 count

14

% of total

2.9%

Change from 2016

+0.2pp

Not stated

2021 count

15

% of total

3.1%

Change from 2016

+1.7pp

Data table

Number of cars per household for Palm Island (S). Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional Qld.

Number of cars per household for Palm Island (S). Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional Qld.
Number of cars per household for Palm Island (S). Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional Qld.
Category20212016Change
Count%Regional Qld%Count%Regional Qld%Countpp
No motor vehicles23547.9%5.1%26254.2%5.5%-27-6.3pp
1 motor vehicle17235.0%34.7%15331.7%34.2%+19+3.3pp
2 motor vehicles5711.6%37.7%5110.6%37.5%+6+1.0pp
3 or more motor vehicles142.9%20.7%132.7%19.0%+1+0.2pp
Not stated153.1%1.7%71.4%3.8%+8+1.7pp
Total households491100.0%100.0%483100.0%100.0%+80.0pp