Data / Rankings / Registered automobiles / US states

US states by registered automobiles

California had the highest registered automobiles of 51 states in 2016, at 14.77 million. Alaska had the lowest, at 183,259. The median was 1.48 million and the figure for the United States was 112.96 million. Source: the Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation.

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Highest14,768,392California
Lowest183,259Alaska
Median1,483,57651 states
United States112,961,266History

Map of states, 2016

Alabama: 2,284,443 countAlaska: 183,259 countArizona: 2,377,962 countArkansas: 942,604 countCalifornia: 14,768,392 countColorado: 1,807,777 countConnecticut: 1,352,381 countDelaware: 447,007 countDistrict of Columbia: 206,833 countFlorida: 7,855,250 countGeorgia: 3,538,180 countHawaii: 516,544 countIdaho: 607,902 countIllinois: 4,524,709 countIndiana: 2,330,172 countIowa: 1,303,131 countKansas: 980,359 countKentucky: 1,713,590 countLouisiana: 1,425,349 countMaine: 409,229 countMaryland: 1,976,021 countMassachusetts: 2,305,471 countMichigan: 3,248,359 countMinnesota: 2,081,723 countMississippi: 840,737 countMissouri: 2,247,914 countMontana: 441,201 countNebraska: 700,277 countNevada: 1,047,362 countNew Hampshire: 529,491 countNew Jersey: 2,847,881 countNew Mexico: 661,197 countNew York: 4,890,916 countNorth Carolina: 3,546,363 countNorth Dakota: 243,338 countOhio: 4,693,947 countOklahoma: 1,379,222 countOregon: 1,483,576 countPennsylvania: 4,640,471 countRhode Island: 436,247 countSouth Carolina: 1,840,357 countSouth Dakota: 364,576 countTennessee: 2,347,806 countTexas: 8,287,254 countUtah: 940,604 countVermont: 229,570 countVirginia: 3,242,520 countWashington: 2,935,656 countWest Virginia: 584,599 countWisconsin: 2,159,924 countWyoming: 211,613 count
  • Under 400K
  • 400K to 900K
  • 900K to 1.5M
  • 1.5M to 2.3M
  • 2.3M to 3.4M
  • 3.4M and over
count, 2016. Source: FHWA, Table MV-1, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations (automobiles, total), United States and states. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2016

California: 14,768,392 countCalifornia14,768,392Texas: 8,287,254 countTexas8,287,254Florida: 7,855,250 countFlorida7,855,250New York: 4,890,916 countNew York4,890,916Ohio: 4,693,947 countOhio4,693,947Pennsylvania: 4,640,471 countPennsylvania4,640,471Illinois: 4,524,709 countIllinois4,524,709North Carolina: 3,546,363 countNorth Carolina3,546,363Georgia: 3,538,180 countGeorgia3,538,180Michigan: 3,248,359 countMichigan3,248,359Virginia: 3,242,520 countVirginia3,242,520Washington: 2,935,656 countWashington2,935,656New Jersey: 2,847,881 countNew Jersey2,847,881Arizona: 2,377,962 countArizona2,377,962Tennessee: 2,347,806 countTennessee2,347,806Indiana: 2,330,172 countIndiana2,330,172Massachusetts: 2,305,471 countMassachusetts2,305,471Alabama: 2,284,443 countAlabama2,284,443Missouri: 2,247,914 countMissouri2,247,914Wisconsin: 2,159,924 countWisconsin2,159,924Minnesota: 2,081,723 countMinnesota2,081,723Maryland: 1,976,021 countMaryland1,976,021South Carolina: 1,840,357 countSouth Carolina1,840,357Colorado: 1,807,777 countColorado1,807,777Kentucky: 1,713,590 countKentucky1,713,590Oregon: 1,483,576 countOregon1,483,576Louisiana: 1,425,349 countLouisiana1,425,349Oklahoma: 1,379,222 countOklahoma1,379,222Connecticut: 1,352,381 countConnecticut1,352,381Iowa: 1,303,131 countIowa1,303,131Nevada: 1,047,362 countNevada1,047,362Kansas: 980,359 countKansas980,359Arkansas: 942,604 countArkansas942,604Utah: 940,604 countUtah940,604Mississippi: 840,737 countMississippi840,737Nebraska: 700,277 countNebraska700,277New Mexico: 661,197 countNew Mexico661,197Idaho: 607,902 countIdaho607,902West Virginia: 584,599 countWest Virginia584,599New Hampshire: 529,491 countNew Hampshire529,491Hawaii: 516,544 countHawaii516,544Delaware: 447,007 countDelaware447,007Montana: 441,201 countMontana441,201Rhode Island: 436,247 countRhode Island436,247Maine: 409,229 countMaine409,229South Dakota: 364,576 countSouth Dakota364,576North Dakota: 243,338 countNorth Dakota243,338Vermont: 229,570 countVermont229,570Wyoming: 211,613 countWyoming211,613District of Columbia: 206,833 countDistrict of Columbia206,833Alaska: 183,259 countAlaska183,259California: 14,768,392 countCalifornia14,768,392Texas: 8,287,254 countTexas8,287,254Florida: 7,855,250 countFlorida7,855,250New York: 4,890,916 countNew York4,890,916Ohio: 4,693,947 countOhio4,693,947Pennsylvania: 4,640,471 countPennsylvania4,640,471Illinois: 4,524,709 countIllinois4,524,709North Carolina: 3,546,363 countNorth Carolina3,546,363Georgia: 3,538,180 countGeorgia3,538,180Michigan: 3,248,359 countMichigan3,248,359Virginia: 3,242,520 countVirginia3,242,520Washington: 2,935,656 countWashington2,935,656New Jersey: 2,847,881 countNew Jersey2,847,881Arizona: 2,377,962 countArizona2,377,962Tennessee: 2,347,806 countTennessee2,347,806Indiana: 2,330,172 countIndiana2,330,172Massachusetts: 2,305,471 countMassachusetts2,305,471Alabama: 2,284,443 countAlabama2,284,443Missouri: 2,247,914 countMissouri2,247,914Wisconsin: 2,159,924 countWisconsin2,159,924Minnesota: 2,081,723 countMinnesota2,081,723Maryland: 1,976,021 countMaryland1,976,021South Carolina: 1,840,357 countSouth Carolina1,840,357Colorado: 1,807,777 countColorado1,807,777Kentucky: 1,713,590 countKentucky1,713,590Oregon: 1,483,576 countOregon1,483,576Louisiana: 1,425,349 countLouisiana1,425,349Oklahoma: 1,379,222 countOklahoma1,379,222Connecticut: 1,352,381 countConnecticut1,352,381Iowa: 1,303,131 countIowa1,303,131Nevada: 1,047,362 countNevada1,047,362Kansas: 980,359 countKansas980,359Arkansas: 942,604 countArkansas942,604Utah: 940,604 countUtah940,604Mississippi: 840,737 countMississippi840,737Nebraska: 700,277 countNebraska700,277New Mexico: 661,197 countNew Mexico661,197Idaho: 607,902 countIdaho607,902West Virginia: 584,599 countWest Virginia584,599New Hampshire: 529,491 countNew Hampshire529,491Hawaii: 516,544 countHawaii516,544Delaware: 447,007 countDelaware447,007Montana: 441,201 countMontana441,201Rhode Island: 436,247 countRhode Island436,247Maine: 409,229 countMaine409,229South Dakota: 364,576 countSouth Dakota364,576North Dakota: 243,338 countNorth Dakota243,338Vermont: 229,570 countVermont229,570Wyoming: 211,613 countWyoming211,613District of Columbia: 206,833 countDistrict of Columbia206,833Alaska: 183,259 countAlaska183,259
count. Source: FHWA, Table MV-1, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations (automobiles, total), United States and states. Retrieved 2026-10-18.

Full ranking

RankStates2016
count		Change on 2015
1California14,768,392+2.1%
2Texas8,287,254-1.9%
3Florida7,855,250+1.6%
4New York4,890,916+0.5%
5Ohio4,693,947-0.9%
6Pennsylvania4,640,471-0.9%
7Illinois4,524,709-5.2%
8North Carolina3,546,363+3.1%
9Georgia3,538,180+0.4%
10Michigan3,248,359-3.8%
11Virginia3,242,520-0.9%
12Washington2,935,656+3.3%
13New Jersey2,847,881-2.4%
14Arizona2,377,962+1.9%
15Tennessee2,347,806+1.3%
16Indiana Estimated2,330,172-0.2%
17Massachusetts Estimated2,305,471-2.9%
18Alabama2,284,443+0.3%
19Missouri2,247,914-1.1%
20Wisconsin2,159,924-1.3%
21Minnesota2,081,723+0.1%
22Maryland1,976,021-0.9%
23South Carolina1,840,357+3.2%
24Colorado1,807,777-0.8%
25Kentucky1,713,590-0%
26Oregon1,483,576+3.5%
27Louisiana1,425,349-0.9%
28Oklahoma1,379,222+19.2%
29Connecticut Estimated1,352,381-2.4%
30Iowa1,303,131-1.7%
31Nevada1,047,362+2.9%
32Kansas980,359-1.2%
33Arkansas942,604-0.5%
34Utah940,604+2.3%
35Mississippi840,737-0.8%
36Nebraska700,277-4.4%
37New Mexico661,197-1%
38Idaho607,902-3%
39West Virginia584,599+3.2%
40New Hampshire529,491-1.1%
41Hawaii516,544-1.2%
42Delaware447,007+2%
43Montana441,201+1.2%
44Rhode Island436,247-2.5%
45Maine409,229-2.5%
46South Dakota364,576+10.9%
47North Dakota243,338-1.6%
48Vermont229,570-9.2%
49Wyoming211,613+2.3%
50District of Columbia206,833+3.1%
51Alaska Estimated183,259-5.2%

Other periods

About this ranking

Automobiles registered during the year, taxicabs included.

More on how it is measured
  • FHWA Highway Statistics table MV-1 counts the vehicles registered in each state during the year, from the records of the state motor vehicle agencies: private, commercial and publicly owned vehicles, but not those of the armed forces.
  • A vehicle is counted in the state that registered it.

From the 2012 table FHWA allocates light-duty vehicles between automobiles and trucks with its own method, and automobiles fall from 125.7 million in 2011 to 111.3 million in 2012 while trucks rise from 118.5 million to 133.1 million, so the split is not comparable across those years. The all motor vehicles total is. Many sport utility vehicles, pickups and vans count as trucks, not automobiles. States keep their registers differently: some report registration transactions during the year or vehicles on multi-year registrations instead of active registrations, and a change in what a state reports can move its count sharply from one year to the next (Delaware in 2021, New York in 2024). Values for states FHWA estimated, or for which it repeated the previous year, are marked estimated. FHWA publishes some counts with fractions; they are rounded to whole vehicles.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation. Highway Statistics, Table MV-1, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations (automobiles, total), United States and states. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm. Retrieved 2026-10-18.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation. (2026). Table MV-1, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations (automobiles, total), United States and states (US states by registered automobiles, 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm

MLA 9

Table MV-1, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations (automobiles, total), United States and states, US states by registered automobiles, 2016. Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 23 Feb. 2026, https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/registered-automobiles/us-states?period=2016. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation. 2026. Table MV-1, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations (automobiles, total), United States and states. US states by registered automobiles, 2016. Dataset. Accessed October 18, 2026. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/registered-automobiles/us-states?period=2016.

Harvard

Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation (2026) Table MV-1, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations (automobiles, total), United States and states, US states by registered automobiles, 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/registered-automobiles/us-states?period=2016 (Accessed: 18 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{federal_us_states_by_registered_2016,
  author = {{Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation}},
  title = {{Table MV-1, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations (automobiles, total), United States and states: US states by registered automobiles, 2016}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm},
  urldate = {2026-10-18},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/registered-automobiles/us-states?period=2016. Publisher attribution: Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation. Highway Statistics, Table MV-1, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations (automobiles, total), United States and states. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm. Retrieved 2026-10-18.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation
TI  - Table MV-1, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations (automobiles, total), United States and states: US states by registered automobiles, 2016
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/02/23
PB  - Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/registered-automobiles/us-states?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/18
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/registered-automobiles/us-states?period=2016.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation. Highway Statistics, Table MV-1, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations (automobiles, total), United States and states. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm. Retrieved 2026-10-18.
ER  -
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Questions

Which state has the highest registered automobiles?

California, with 14.77 million in 2016, according to the Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation.

Which state has the lowest registered automobiles?

Alaska, with 183,259 in 2016.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Table MV-1, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations (automobiles, total), United States and states. Retrieved 2026-10-18.

US states: more rankings