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 Thomastown, accounting for 39.5% (2,903 households). This share was higher than Whittlesea (C) (32%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 1 motor vehicle, which increased by 2,903 households and 39.5 percentage points.
Section overview
Car ownership
Thomastown - Households (Enumerated)
This table summarises number of cars per household for Thomastown in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Whittlesea (C) and change since 2016.
Car ownership snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Thomastown, with comparison markers for Whittlesea (C).
No motor vehicles
2021 count
666
% of total
9.1%
Change from 2016
+9.1pp
666
9.1%
+9.1pp
1 motor vehicle
2021 count
2,903
% of total
39.5%
Change from 2016
+39.5pp
2,903
39.5%
+39.5pp
2 motor vehicles
2021 count
2,469
% of total
33.6%
Change from 2016
+8.6pp
2,469
33.6%
+8.6pp
3 or more motor vehicles
2021 count
1,196
% of total
16.3%
Change from 2016
-40.0pp
1,196
16.3%
-40.0pp
Not stated
2021 count
108
% of total
1.5%
Change from 2016
+1.5pp
108
1.5%
+1.5pp
Chart view
Car ownership change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
No motor vehicles
+666
+9.1pp
1 motor vehicle
+2,903
+39.5pp
2 motor vehicles
+2,465
+8.6pp
3 or more motor vehicles
+1,187
-40.0pp
Not stated
+108
+1.5pp
Data table
Number of cars per household for Thomastown. Car ownership. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Whittlesea (C).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Whittlesea (C)% | Count | % | Whittlesea (C)% | Count | pp | |
| No motor vehicles | 666 | 9.1% | 4.2% | 0 | 0.0% | 4.6% | +666 | +9.1pp |
| 1 motor vehicle | 2,903 | 39.5% | 32.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 30.2% | +2,903 | +39.5pp |
| 2 motor vehicles | 2,469 | 33.6% | 41.7% | 4 | 25.0% | 41.5% | +2,465 | +8.6pp |
| 3 or more motor vehicles | 1,196 | 16.3% | 20.7% | 9 | 56.3% | 20.7% | +1,187 | -40.0pp |
| Not stated | 108 | 1.5% | 1.4% | 0 | 0.0% | 3.1% | +108 | +1.5pp |
| Total households | 7,347 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 16 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +7,331 | 0.0pp |