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Average miles driven by state (2024)

Americans drive an average of 14,263 miles per year, according to the Federal Highway Administration. Drivers in Wyoming drive the most annual miles at 24,069, while drivers in Washington D.C. drive the least number of miles at 4,623.

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Stephanie NievesEditor & Home and Auto Insurance ExpertStephanie Nieves is a former editor and insurance expert at Policygenius, where she covered home and auto insurance. Her work has also appeared in Business Insider, Money, HerMoney, PayScale, and The Muse.

Reviewed by

Ian Bloom, CFP®, RLP®Ian Bloom, CFP®, RLP®Certified Financial PlannerIan Bloom, CFP®, RLP®, is a certified financial planner and a member of the Financial Review Council at Policygenius. Previously, he was a financial advisor at MetLife and MassMutual.

Updated|2 min read

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Americans rely on their cars to commute, run errands, and travel for fun — but how many miles does the average American drive per year? 

According to data from the Federal Highway Administration (FHA), [1] Americans drive an average of 14,263 miles per year, which is about 1,189 miles per month. Collectively, that’s 220 million licensed drivers driving more than 3.3 trillion miles each year in the U.S. But drivers in some states clock more miles on the road than others, which could have an affect on their car insurance rates.

Key takeaways

  • Drivers in Wyoming have the highest annual mileage at 24,069 miles a year

  • Drivers in Washington D.C. drive the fewest number of miles per year at 4,623

  • How much you drive can have an affect on your car insurance rates 

  • Drivers who drive fewer than 7,500 miles per year may qualify for a low-mileage discount

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Average miles driven by state

Americans drive an average of 14,263 miles per year, according to the most recent data from the FHA. Here’s a look at the average annual miles driver per year by drivers in each state:

State

Annual vehicle miles (in millions)

Number of licensed drivers

Annual mileage per driver

Alabama

71,735

4,026,151

17,817

Alaska

5,881

529,281

11,111

Arizona

70,281

5,369,210

13,090

Arkansas

37,099

2,153,929

17,224

California

340,836

27,213,650

12,524

Colorado

54,634

4,235,384

12,899

Connecticut

31,601

2,608,061

12,117

Delaware

10,245

812,529

12,609

District of Columbia

3,756

535,579

4,623

Florida

226,514

15,560,628

14,557

Georgia

133,128

7,261,266

18,334

Hawaii

11,024

943,173

11,688

Idaho

18,058

1,252,535

14,417

Illinois

107,525

8,546,932

12,581

Indiana

82,719

4,589,405

18,024

Iowa

33,537

2,274,431

14,745

Kansas

31,843

2,154,260

14,781

Kentucky

49,410

3,030,329

16,305

Louisiana

51,360

3,435,168

14,951

Maine

14,871

1,046,129

14,215

Maryland

60,216

4,463,862

13,490

Massachusetts

64,890

4,950,056

13,109

Michigan

102,174

7,141,494

14,307

Minnesota

60,731

3,391,057

17,909

Mississippi

41,091

2,058,036

19,966

Missouri

79,168

4,274,389

18,521

Montana

12,892

811,851

15,880

Nebraska

21,242

1,430,818

14,846

Nevada

28,794

2,054,421

14,016

New Hampshire

13,828

1,195,211

11,570

New Jersey

78,205

6,377,413

12,263

New Mexico

27,772

1,449,711

19,157

New York

123,986

12,194,360

10,167

North Carolina

122,475

7,620,001

16,073

North Dakota

9,826

556,064

17,671

Ohio

114,694

8,032,792

14,278

Oklahoma

44,648

2,522,670

17,699

Oregon

35,808

2,930,701

12,218

Pennsylvania

102,864

8,987,676

11,445

Rhode Island

7,581

761,046

9,961

South Carolina

57,939

3,877,968

14,941

South Dakota

9,922

638,428

15,541

Tennessee

82,892

5,422,429

15,287

Texas

288,227

17,822,760

16,171

Utah

32,911

2,121,099

15,516

Vermont

7,346

564,894

13,004

Virginia

85,432

5,888,196

14,509

Washington

62,530

5,711,136

10,949

West Virginia

19,077

1,130,389

16,876

Wisconsin

66,348

4,296,646

15,442

Wyoming

10,208

424,115

24,069

U.S. Total

3,261,772

228,679,719

14,263

Collapse table

States with the highest average mileage

Of the 50 states plus Washington D.C., drivers in Wyoming have the highest annual mileage at 24,069. Considering Wyoming is one of the least densely populated states, it makes sense that Wyoming drivers spend more time on the road getting where they need to go. 

  1. Wyoming: 24,069 miles per year

  2. Mississippi: 19,966 miles per year

  3. New Mexico: 19,157 miles per year

  4. Missouri: 18,521 miles per year

  5. Georgia: 18,334 miles per year

States with the lowest average mileage

Unsurprisingly, drivers in Washington D.C. drive the fewest number of miles per year at 4,623, followed by Rhode Island at 9,961 miles a year. 

  1. Washington D.C.: 4,623 miles per year

  2. Rhode Island: 9,961 miles per year

  3. New York: 10,167 miles per year

  4. Washington: 10,949 miles per year

  5. Alaska: 11,111 miles per year

Why mileage matters when it comes to car insurance

The more you drive, the higher your chance of getting into an accident. That’s why companies ask you about your annual mileage when you apply for car insurance — if you drive far more than the average driver in your area, you may be more of a risk to insure, which means you may see higher rates.

But most car insurance companies also reward drivers who drive less with low mileage discounts. Low mileage discounts generally apply to people who drive less than 7,500 miles per year, but some companies may set their own mileage limit for the discount.

Drivers who work from home can take advantage of this discount, since they don’t have to commute to and from work. Some companies also offer discount programs that track your driving through a phone app and reward safe or infrequent driving.

If you know you won’t be driving much, you can talk to your insurer about which of these discounts are available to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 30,000 miles a year a lot?

The average American drives 14,263 miles per year. So someone who drives 30,000 miles a year drives more than double the average American — which is a lot.

How many miles can a car last before it breaks down?

Some cars easily last a decade or more on the road while others may fall apart well before then. How long your car will last depends on its make and model, as well as how much you drive, where you live, and how well you keep up with routine maintenance.

Are highway miles easier on a car?

Driving on the highway can mean less wear and tear on some parts of your car, like your brakes since you’re stopping less often. But generally, your car will stay in the best shape if you keep up with your regular maintenance, like changing your oil, replacing worn tires, and fixing issues as soon as they come up.

References

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Policygenius uses external sources, including government data, industry studies, and reputable news organizations to supplement proprietary marketplace data and internal expertise. Learn more about how we use and vet external sources as part of oureditorial standards.

  1. Federal Highway Administration

    . "

    State Motor-Vehicle Registrations - 2019

    ." Accessed November 18, 2021.

Author

Stephanie Nieves is a former editor and insurance expert at Policygenius, where she covered home and auto insurance. Her work has also appeared in Business Insider, Money, HerMoney, PayScale, and The Muse.

Expert reviewer

Ian Bloom, CFP®, RLP®, is a certified financial planner and a member of the Financial Review Council at Policygenius. Previously, he was a financial advisor at MetLife and MassMutual.

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