Average Miles Driven Per Year by State [Infographic]

Due to the massive geographic scale and the urban sprawl of American cities, we have a higher average yearly mileage than anyone else. We drive an average of 13,476 miles per year, which is more than 30% more than our northern neighbors in Canada, who are second with 9,562.¹  

But how many miles does the average person drive per year? 

How do these numbers break down by demographics? 

If you have any average annual mileage questions about daily miles that could be put on your new Toyota Prius for the car insurance company or what to expect before you sign your new car lease- you have come to the right place.  This infographic will answer all of your burning questions about the average miles driven per year to get the best auto insurance rate. 

Our Sourcing and a Note on COVID-19

For the most accurate information, the vast majority of sourcing in this document is pulled from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration Highway Statistics Survey of 2019. 

This is the most recent year where a comprehensive study was completed and where driving habits were unaffected by the global pandemic. Naturally, COVID dramatically reduced the number of miles driven in the country.  Since the average American became a low mileage driver due to the stay-at-home order, we can expect high mileage for an average driver within the next few years. 

Going forward, all driving behavior trends point to the notion that once normal life resumes, the driving mileage will parallel (if not exceed) pre-COVID rates.  

What is the average car mileage per year per state? 

Americans drive more than any developed nation on earth, covering more than 3 trillion miles per year. But how much they drive depends on the state in which they live. Some states drive less in total on aggregate, but their citizens average more miles per driver.

Additionally, how much they spend on that car mileage varies greatly. For example, the average cost of fuel in California was $4.00, while the average in North Dakota was $2.78 per gallon.

State	Average Miles Per Driver	Total Miles	Cost of Regular Fuel
Alabama	17,817	71 billion	$2.63
Alaska	11,111	5.8 billion	$3.17
Arizona	13,090	70 billion	$3.05
Arkansas	17,224	37 billion	$2.68
California	12,524	340 billion	$4.00
Colorado	12,899	54 billion	$2.96
Connecticut	12,117	31 billion	$2.96
Delaware	12,609	10 billion	$2.75
Florida	14,557	226 billion	$2.79
Georgia	18,334	133 billion	$2.70
Hawaii	11,688	11 billion	$3.77
Idaho	14,417	18 billion	$3.13
Illinois	12,581	107 billion	$3.08
Indiana	18,024	82 billion	$2.79
Iowa	14,745	33 billion	$2.78
Kansas	14,781	31 billion	$2.73
Kentucky	16,305	49 billion	$2.73
Louisiana	14,951	51 billion	$2.60
Maine	14,215	14 billion	$2.83
Maryland	13,490	60 billion	$2.81
Massachusetts	13,109	64 billion	$2.77
Michigan	14,307	102 billion	$2.82
Minnesota	17,909	60 billion	$2.73
Mississippi	19,966	41 billion	$2.57
Missouri	18,521	79 billion	$2.66
Montana	15,880	12 billion	$2.81
Nebraska	14,846	21 billion	$2.81
Nevada	14,016	28 billion	$3.46
New Hampshire	11,570	13 billion	$2.73
New Jersey	12,263	78 billion	$2.92
New Mexico	19,157	27 billion	$2.86
New York	10,167	123 billion	$2.92
North Carolina	16,073	122 billion	$2.63
North Dakota	17,671	9 billion	$2.78
Ohio	14,278	114 billion	$2.81
Oklahoma	17,699	44 billion	$2.66
Oregon	12,218	35 billion	$3.25
Pennsylvania	11,445	102 billion	$3.00
Rhode Island	9,961	7 billion	$2.81
South Carolina	14,941	57 billion	$2.59
South Dakota	15,541	9 billion	$2.85
Tennessee	15,287	82 billion	$2.69
Texas	16,172	288 billion	$2.58
Utah	15,516	32 billion	$3.17
Vermont	13,004	7 billion	$2.81
Virginia	14,509	85 billion	$2.70
Washington	10,949	62 billion	$3.42
West Virginia	16,876	19 billion	$2.78
Wisconsin	15,442	66 billion	$2.73
Wyoming	24,069	10 billion	$2.93

States with the Most Driving

Although it’s not always the case, generally speaking, the more sparsely populated a state is, the longer and more frequently a person will need to drive. 

States where people drive the most include: 

1. Wyoming – 24,069 miles per driver
2. Mississippi – 19,966  miles per driver
3. New Mexico – 19,157 miles per driver
4. Missouri – 18,521  miles per driver
5. Georgia – 18,334  miles per driver

These states have a relatively low population density and could be considered rural. States like Wyoming and New Mexico rank amongst the least population-dense states.   

States With the Least Driving

Looking to live in a state where low mileage car insurance is the norm? Naturally factors like fuel prices, state geography, and population density impact mileage rates. For instance, many of the largest urban northeastern states along the Acela corridor don’t need to drive as much due to tighter geographic proximity and less urban sprawl. This makes it easier to have and use a public transit system, which reduces the need to drive.  

States that drive the least include: 

1. Rhode Island – 9,961 
2. New York – 10,167
3. Washington – 10,949
4. Alaska – 11,111
5. Hawaii – 11,688

Looking at these regions, it’s easy to speculate why rates are lower. In places like New York, many citizens in NYC don’t need cars since they live in a large, walkable city with efficient public transit systems. Additionally, in places like Rhode Island and Hawaii, there’s not a lot of space to drive. 

Driving By Demographics 

Men and women don’t have the same driving behavior. Additionally, age also impacts how much a person tends to drive. Broken down by age and sex demographics, the average miles driven per American looks like:

Age	Male	Female	Total Average
16-19	8,206	6,873	7,624
20-34	17,976	12,004	15,098
35-54	18,858	11,464	15,291
55-64	15,859	7,780	11,972
65+	10,304	4,785	7,646
Average	16,550	10,142	13,476

COVID’s Impact on Driving Rates 

COVID has caused people to drive less frequently than they would in a normal year. Lockdowns and work-from-home orders reduced the frequency of necessary driving as well as vacation driving. 

For instance, even in the summer months when lockdowns lax in many states, you can see significant differences across all regions when comparing July 2020 traffic volumes² with July 2019 volumes:³ 

• Travel on all roads and streets was reduced by -11.2% 
• Cumulative Travel for 2020 changed by -15.7% (-297.2 billion vehicle miles)
• The cumulative estimate for the year is 1,593.2 billion vehicle miles of travel, nearly 330 billion miles less than in 2019.

By region: 

Region	Total travel in billions of miles	Percentage change
North-East	34.9	-15.4
South-Atlantic	57	-11.3
North-Central	60.0	-9.7
South-Gulf	52.7	-10.8
West	57.8	-10.4

Additionally, the decrease in traffic caused by emptier roads resulted in a higher frequency of reckless driving, despite the decreased number of car accidents. According to an accident study focused on California:⁴ 

• Accident rates across California saw accident reductions as significant as 75%

• Auto accidents caused by speeding had been cut in half 

• California Highway Patrol (CHP) saw a 46% increase in tickets issued for drivers speeding at or above 100mph

The fewer cars there were on the road, the more opportunities there were to speed. That said, with states opening up, 2021 will likely have numbers that are closer to 2019 than 2020. 

Car Mileage and Car Purchases

If you drive a lot, it’s important to have a reliable car with low-cost car repairs and excellent gas mileage. The impact gas alone can have on your wallet is immense. 

Consider a male driver who’s 36 and living in Wyoming:

• In 2019, on average, he drove 24,000 miles per year at $2.93 per gallon. 
• If he drove a car that got 20 miles per gallon, he could expect to pay $3,516 in gas. 
• However, if his car got 40 miles per gallon, he could pay half that, $1,758 in gas.  
• Taken year over year for five years, the cost-savings between the two cars could amount to $8,790 in gas costs alone.

Not to mention, if you drive less, you can likely save money on your car insurance. 

If you’re someone who plans on having a high driving mileage, it’s critical to consider your car’s gas mileage.

IfIf you would like to compare quotes from other companies, enter your ZIP code into our free tool.

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