While the majority of adults drive, 10% of American adults report they seldom or never drive, including 6% who never drive at all. The recent findings by the Pew Research Center reveal this. The survey explores factors like geography, income, and age. It uncovers patterns that highlight how transportation choices shape daily life across different U.S. regions and communities.
WHO ARE AMERICA’S NONDRIVERS?
Nondriving is more common in certain demographics, with urban dwellers, low-income households, and Black Americans being the least to drive regularly:
- Urban Residents: About 18% of urban adults report rarely or never driving. This figure is notably higher than in suburban (7%) or rural (8%) areas.
- Regional Trends: People in the Northeast are the least likely to drive. 17% seldom or never drive. This is compared to 10% in the South, 8% in the West, and 7% in the Midwest.
- Demographic Patterns: Nondrivers are more common among Black adults (21%) than among Asian (13%), Hispanic (12%), or White adults (7%). Young adults under 30 are more likely to be nondrivers (15%) than other age groups. In lower-income households, 19% report seldom or never driving. This is compared to 6% of middle-income and 3% of upper-income households.
COMMUTING PATTERNS: HOW AMERICANS GET TO WORK
For employed Americans, the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey (ACS) provides insights into primary commuting modes. According to the survey, 78% of workers ages 16 and older primarily drove to work, with 88% of these commuting alone:
- Public Transportation: Nationwide, only 4% of workers primarily used public transit to get to work. Even smaller shares walked (2%) or biked (less than 1%).
- Remote Work and Commuting Adjustments: Another 14% of workers reported working from home in the prior week. This lowered the percentage of car commuters.
Certain states display unique commuting patterns. For example, 22% of workers in D.C. and 24% in New York state use public transportation—rates considerably higher than the national average. In contrast, less than 33% of workers in D.C. drive to work, influenced by a high percentage of remote workers (28%). When excluding remote workers, the share of D.C. commuters who drive rises to 45%.
In New York, driving habits differ sharply between city and state residents. Only 25% of New York City workers drive to their jobs. In the rest of the state, 77% of workers drive to their jobs. Meanwhile, 48% of New York City workers rely on public transit.
VEHICLE ACCESS ACROSS U.S. HOUSEHOLDS
Despite variations in commuting habits, vehicle ownership is widespread. According to 2023 ACS estimates, 92% of U.S. households have access to at least one vehicle:
- National Averages: Eight percent of households are without a vehicle, one-third have one car, and 36% own two cars. An additional 22% of households report having three or more vehicles.
- Regional Vehicle Availability: D.C. (36%) and New York state (30%) lead in households without a vehicle. Other high rates of carless households are found in Massachusetts (12%) and New Jersey (11%). In rural states like Idaho, Utah, and Montana, fewer than 5% of households lack a vehicle. Nearly one-third of households have access to three or more vehicles.
Vehicle access remains high across most states. Outside of D.C. and New York, nine out of ten households or more have at least one vehicle available.
