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 Emu Plains, accounting for 37.4% (1,119 households). This share was higher than Penrith (C) (36.6%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 2 motor vehicles, which increased by 802 households and 5.5 percentage points.

Section overview

Car ownership

Emu Plains - Households (Enumerated)

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

Car ownership snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Emu Plains, with comparison markers for Penrith (C).

Emu Plains
Penrith (C)

No motor vehicles

2021 count

175

% of total

5.9%

Change from 2016

-6.5pp

1 motor vehicle

2021 count

1,034

% of total

34.6%

Change from 2016

-4.8pp

2 motor vehicles

2021 count

1,119

% of total

37.4%

Change from 2016

+5.5pp

3 or more motor vehicles

2021 count

631

% of total

21.1%

Change from 2016

+7.6pp

Not stated

2021 count

28

% of total

0.9%

Change from 2016

-2.2pp

Data table

Number of cars per household for Emu Plains. Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Penrith (C).

Number of cars per household for Emu Plains. Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Penrith (C).
Number of cars per household for Emu Plains. Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Penrith (C).
Category20212016Change
Count%Penrith (C)%Count%Penrith (C)%Countpp
No motor vehicles1755.9%6.5%12312.4%6.1%+52-6.5pp
1 motor vehicle1,03434.6%33.6%39239.4%31.0%+642-4.8pp
2 motor vehicles1,11937.4%36.6%31731.9%37.1%+802+5.5pp
3 or more motor vehicles63121.1%21.9%13413.5%22.4%+497+7.6pp
Not stated280.9%1.3%313.1%3.4%-3-2.2pp
Total households2,989100.0%100.0%994100.0%100.0%+1,9950.0pp