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 Port Phillip (C), accounting for 54.7% (26,671 households). This share was higher than Greater Melbourne (36.7%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 1 motor vehicle, which increased by 3,671 households and 3.7 percentage points.
Section overview
Car ownership
Port Phillip (C) - Households (Enumerated)
This table summarises number of cars per household for Port Phillip (C) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Greater Melbourne and change since 2016.
Car ownership snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Port Phillip (C), with comparison markers for Greater Melbourne.
No motor vehicles
2021 count
8,705
% of total
17.9%
Change from 2016
+0.3pp
8,705
17.9%
+0.3pp
1 motor vehicle
2021 count
26,671
% of total
54.7%
Change from 2016
+3.7pp
26,671
54.7%
+3.7pp
2 motor vehicles
2021 count
10,483
% of total
21.5%
Change from 2016
-2.1pp
10,483
21.5%
-2.1pp
3 or more motor vehicles
2021 count
2,215
% of total
4.5%
Change from 2016
-0.1pp
2,215
4.5%
-0.1pp
Not stated
2021 count
652
% of total
1.3%
Change from 2016
-1.9pp
652
1.3%
-1.9pp
Chart view
Car ownership change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
No motor vehicles
+763
+0.3pp
1 motor vehicle
+3,671
+3.7pp
2 motor vehicles
-146
-2.1pp
3 or more motor vehicles
+121
-0.1pp
Not stated
-796
-1.9pp
Data table
Number of cars per household for Port Phillip (C). Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Greater Melbourne.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Greater Melbourne% | Count | % | Greater Melbourne% | Count | pp | |
| No motor vehicles | 8,705 | 17.9% | 8.5% | 7,942 | 17.6% | 8.7% | +763 | +0.3pp |
| 1 motor vehicle | 26,671 | 54.7% | 36.7% | 23,000 | 51.0% | 34.7% | +3,671 | +3.7pp |
| 2 motor vehicles | 10,483 | 21.5% | 36.5% | 10,629 | 23.6% | 36.6% | -146 | -2.1pp |
| 3 or more motor vehicles | 2,215 | 4.5% | 17.0% | 2,094 | 4.6% | 16.8% | +121 | -0.1pp |
| Not stated | 652 | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1,448 | 3.2% | 3.2% | -796 | -1.9pp |
| Total households | 48,731 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 45,110 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +3,621 | 0.0pp |