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, 1 motor vehicle was the most common car-ownership level among households in Prahran, accounting for 50.7% (3,333 households). This share was higher than Stonnington (C) (46.1%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 1 motor vehicle, which increased by 325 households and 5.2 percentage points.

Section overview

Car ownership

Prahran - Households (Enumerated)

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

Car ownership snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Prahran, with comparison markers for Stonnington (C).

Prahran
Stonnington (C)

No motor vehicles

2021 count

1,417

% of total

21.6%

Change from 2016

+2.1pp

1 motor vehicle

2021 count

3,333

% of total

50.7%

Change from 2016

+5.2pp

2 motor vehicles

2021 count

1,211

% of total

18.4%

Change from 2016

+0.1pp

3 or more motor vehicles

2021 count

252

% of total

3.8%

Change from 2016

0.0pp

Not stated

2021 count

353

% of total

5.4%

Change from 2016

-7.4pp

Data table

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

Number of cars per household for Prahran. Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Stonnington (C).
Number of cars per household for Prahran. Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Stonnington (C).
Category20212016Change
Count%Stonnington (C)%Count%Stonnington (C)%Countpp
No motor vehicles1,41721.6%16.0%1,28719.5%15.8%+130+2.1pp
1 motor vehicle3,33350.7%46.1%3,00845.5%41.3%+325+5.2pp
2 motor vehicles1,21118.4%24.7%1,20718.3%25.5%+4+0.1pp
3 or more motor vehicles2523.8%8.2%2513.8%8.3%+10.0pp
Not stated3535.4%5.0%84712.8%9.2%-494-7.4pp
Total households6,574100.0%100.0%6,610100.0%100.0%-360.0pp