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, 2 motor vehicles was the most common car-ownership level among households in Sutherland Shire (A), accounting for 38.7% (33,087 households). This share was higher than Greater Sydney (31%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 1 motor vehicle, which increased by 4,077 households and 2.5 percentage points.
Section overview
Car ownership
Sutherland Shire (A) - Households (Enumerated)
This table summarises number of cars per household for Sutherland Shire (A) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Greater Sydney and change since 2016.
Car ownership snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Sutherland Shire (A), with comparison markers for Greater Sydney.
No motor vehicles
2021 count
4,757
% of total
5.6%
Change from 2016
+0.1pp
4,757
5.6%
+0.1pp
1 motor vehicle
2021 count
28,245
% of total
33.0%
Change from 2016
+2.5pp
28,245
33.0%
+2.5pp
2 motor vehicles
2021 count
33,087
% of total
38.7%
Change from 2016
+0.1pp
33,087
38.7%
+0.1pp
3 or more motor vehicles
2021 count
16,826
% of total
19.7%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
16,826
19.7%
0.0pp
Not stated
2021 count
2,643
% of total
3.1%
Change from 2016
-2.5pp
2,643
3.1%
-2.5pp
Chart view
Car ownership change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
No motor vehicles
+380
+0.1pp
1 motor vehicle
+4,077
+2.5pp
2 motor vehicles
+2,499
+0.1pp
3 or more motor vehicles
+1,236
0.0pp
Not stated
-1,803
-2.5pp
Data table
Number of cars per household for Sutherland Shire (A). Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Greater Sydney.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Greater Sydney% | Count | % | Greater Sydney% | Count | pp | |
| No motor vehicles | 4,757 | 5.6% | 10.8% | 4,377 | 5.5% | 10.7% | +380 | +0.1pp |
| 1 motor vehicle | 28,245 | 33.0% | 38.1% | 24,168 | 30.5% | 35.4% | +4,077 | +2.5pp |
| 2 motor vehicles | 33,087 | 38.7% | 31.0% | 30,588 | 38.6% | 31.1% | +2,499 | +0.1pp |
| 3 or more motor vehicles | 16,826 | 19.7% | 15.1% | 15,590 | 19.7% | 14.9% | +1,236 | 0.0pp |
| Not stated | 2,643 | 3.1% | 5.1% | 4,446 | 5.6% | 8.0% | -1,803 | -2.5pp |
| Total households | 85,555 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 79,167 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +6,388 | 0.0pp |