Iowa Has a Jaw Dropping Number of Registered Cars on the Road

A new study on car registration and vehicle ownership finds Iowans are in the top ten of most registered private automobiles, per 100,000 population.

This study/research was commissioned by Mr-Gamble.com, who analyzed the data from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Before we look at just how many cars are registered in the state of Iowa, let's look at some of the most noteworthy findings:

● Montana has the highest number of registered private automobiles per 100,000 population on the list, 41,938.

● In second place is Alabama, with 40,833 registered private automobiles per 100,000 residents.

● Washington is in third place, with 37,413 registered automobiles per 100,000 residents.

The point of the research was to exam which states have the highest number of registered private automobiles per 100,000 residents, which, in turn, gives an idea of the sheer volume of cars on the road. Therein, the data reveals transportation habits of residents in all 50 states.

For example, it makes sense as to why Montana came in atop the list due to the fact that a great deal of the state is sparse and a motor vehicle is required for travel. Most of Montana is anything but walkable.

Iowa came in at #6 on Mr-Gamble's list. Iowa has a population of about 3.1 million people with 1,119,070 registered vehicles at the time of data collection. That means Iowa has about 35,047 vehicles per 100,000 residents. Even during my relatively short time of living in Dubuque, I've learned the Tri-States aren't very walkable, due to the terrain and the many hills. Much of the area is spread out, making driving almost a requirement.

Further down the list, Illinois came in at #16. With a population of over 12 million people, Illinois has 4,112,710 registered vehicles (32,456 per 100,000 residents). Wisconsin ranked in the bottom half, at #27, with 1,791,851 registered vehicles (30,391 per 100,000 residents) and a population of nearly six million people.

Rather unsurprisingly, New York was dead last on the list with over 19 million people and just slightly over three million registered vehicles.

Furthermore, remember this is raw data that only tells part of the story. People's lifestyle needs, culture, and regions all vary dramatically. View the full spreadsheet of data here.