According to recent census estimates, almost 1.4 million households in New York City own a car compared to 3.1 million total households. This means 45 percent of all households in the city own a car (and almost 3 percent that own three or more!). Ownership is lowest in Manhattan, where only 22 percent of households own a car, while ownership is highest in Staten Island where cars are owned by 83 percent of all households. Queens (62 percent) is also above the city average, while the Bronx (40 percent) and Brooklyn (44 percent) look more like the city as a whole. While almost half the households in the city own cars, fewer people use them to commute. Of the 3.8 million workers in the city, only 27 percent commute via car, truck, or van. Staten Island is the only borough where the majority of commuters (64 percent) drive, while only 8 percent of Manhattanites drive to work. Staten Island is also the only borough where more commuters drive than take the subway, but it’s close in Queens. In Queens, an even 38 percent of people drive to work, but 38.2 percent take the subway—a difference of under 3,000 people. New York City is famous for its public transit system: the MTA has more stations than any other metro system in the world, has almost twice as many miles of track as any other North American system, and ridership is triple the next five largest American cities (Chicago, Washington, Boston, San Francisco, Philadelphia) combined. The recently launched NYC Ferry is surpassing all ridership expectations, and Citibike lets people traverse the city on two wheels.
FAQs
What of the New Yorkers have cars? ›
The New York-Newark-Jersey City metropolitan area of New York and New Jersey reported the lowest rate of car ownership in 2022, with only 69.5% of households having at least one vehicle, followed by: Ithaca, New York (81.8% of households)
How many cars go into NYC a day? ›By making drivers pay to enter the heart of the city, the MTA says it could cut the number of vehicles entering into lower Manhattan by 100,000 every day. Roughly 900,000 cars and trucks currently enter the area daily.
How many New York residents own a car? ›Do many people have cars in New York City? About 45% of all households have a car citywide (all five boroughs).
Why do you think someone in New York City would choose not to have a car but ride the train instead? ›One of the main factors is cost. Owning a car in the city can be very expensive, with costs including car payments, insurance, parking fees, and fuel. On the other hand, the cost of a monthly train pass is often much more affordable. Another reason is convenience.
How many New Yorkers don't own a car? ›Here are the top 10 U.S. cities with the lowest percentages of households that own vehicles: New York, New York — 45.6% Newark, New Jersey — 59.7%
What car is called the New Yorker? ›The New Yorker was Chrysler's most prestigious model throughout most of its run. Over the decades, it was available in several body styles, including sedan, coupe, and convertible. Until its discontinuation in 1996, the New Yorker was the longest-running American car nameplate.
Is having a car in NYC worth it? ›Owning a car can be essential for newcomers, as relying solely on walking might be impractical in such a large city. However, the high cost of living in NYC can make car ownership financially challenging. Nevertheless, alternative transportation options are available for those who choose not to own a car.
What is the most car-dependent city? ›McKinney, Texas. With around 1.88 cars per household, McKinney, Texas stands among the most car-dependent cities in the US.
Which NYC borough has the most cars? ›Ownership is lowest in Manhattan, where only 22 percent of households own a car, while ownership is highest in Staten Island where cars are owned by 83 percent of all households.
Do New Yorkers need a car? ›The fact is, not having a car in New York is not only feasible but, in many cases, preferable. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) (a.k.a. New York City Transit) operates a vast network of subways, buses, and commuter trains that cover all five boroughs of the city. Need a breakdown?
Why don t people in NYC own cars? ›
Besides the monetary con of owning a car in the city, there'ss the other huge con of traffic. While traffic is annoying no matter how you're getting around above ground (be it cab, Uber, or bus), at least with those forms of transportation you can hop out directly at your destination.
Why do New Yorkers have to move their cars? ›The law is intended to promote efficient flow of traffic, as well as to allow street sweepers and snowplows to reach the curb without parked cars impeding their progress. Some proponents also regard the law, which can be quite inconvenient for drivers, as a way to encourage the use of public transportation.
What state has the most cars? ›In 2021, California had the most automobile registrations: almost 14.3 million such vehicles were registered in the most populous U.S. federal state. California also had the highest number of registered motor vehicles overall: nearly 31.4 million registrations.
How many vehicles does NYC own? ›Managed by DCAS, New York City operates over 30,000 owned and leased vehicles, the largest municipal fleet in the United States. NYC maintains fleet units at 37 main repair locations and has over 400 in-house fueling and 400 separate electric charging locations.
How many cars are used in New York? ›From 2012 to 2021, the last year with available data, the number of passenger vehicles owned by residents of the five boroughs rose by 223,500, lifting the number of cars in the city from 1,853,000 to 2,077,000.
What is the most common car in New York? ›- 5) Chevrolet Equinox. Getty Images. 5) Chevrolet Equinox.
- 4) Ram 1500/2500/3500. Getty Images. 4) Ram 1500/2500/3500.
- 3) Jeep Cherokee. Getty Images. 3) Jeep Cherokee.
- 2) Toyota RAV4. Getty Images. 2) Toyota RAV4.
- 1) Honda CR-V. Getty Images. 1) Honda CR-V.