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 Rockhampton (R), accounting for 36.2% (10,839 households). This share was lower than Regional Qld (37.7%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 1 motor vehicle, which increased by 893 households and 1.2 percentage points.

Section overview

Car ownership

Rockhampton (R) - Households (Enumerated)

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

Car ownership snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Rockhampton (R), with comparison markers for Regional Qld.

Rockhampton (R)
Regional Qld

No motor vehicles

2021 count

1,962

% of total

6.6%

Change from 2016

-0.3pp

1 motor vehicle

2021 count

10,734

% of total

35.9%

Change from 2016

+1.2pp

2 motor vehicles

2021 count

10,839

% of total

36.2%

Change from 2016

+0.2pp

3 or more motor vehicles

2021 count

5,875

% of total

19.6%

Change from 2016

+1.0pp

Not stated

2021 count

500

% of total

1.7%

Change from 2016

-2.1pp

Data table

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

Number of cars per household for Rockhampton (R). Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional Qld.
Number of cars per household for Rockhampton (R). Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional Qld.
Category20212016Change
Count%Regional Qld%Count%Regional Qld%Countpp
No motor vehicles1,9626.6%5.1%1,9686.9%5.5%-6-0.3pp
1 motor vehicle10,73435.9%34.7%9,84134.7%34.2%+893+1.2pp
2 motor vehicles10,83936.2%37.7%10,22636.0%37.5%+613+0.2pp
3 or more motor vehicles5,87519.6%20.7%5,26418.6%19.0%+611+1.0pp
Not stated5001.7%1.7%1,0813.8%3.8%-581-2.1pp
Total households29,911100.0%100.0%28,375100.0%100.0%+1,5360.0pp