Surprising US state ranks near the bottom for where people drive the most

Americans’ driving habits rack up trillions of miles every year – highways, backroads, and endless parking lots included – and it all adds to the state mileage trends.

But where someone lives changes everything.

In some states, the car might as well be a second home. In others, the odometer barely moves.

And the states topping the list aren’t the ones anyone would expect. Wide-open land wins over wealth. Meanwhile, one famously car-packed state barely drives at all.

VISIT SBX CARS – View live supercar auctions powered by Supercar Blondie

Driving habits by state

According to a new Kelley Blue Book analysis, Americans drove 2.9 trillion miles in 2023.

That’s around 14,779 miles per household, which is up from the COVID slump but still shy of 2017’s all-time high.

As far as state mileage trends go, Wyoming takes the crown, with the average driver racking up 21,575 miles a year – basically living in the car. And honestly, this tracks – Wyoming also boasts the fastest drivers in America.

Mississippi, Missouri, and New Mexico follow, proving that a lot of land and not a lot of people equals serious wheel time.

And at the other end? New York.

The average driver there only covers 9,750 miles a year. Blame Manhattan gridlock, subway culture, or the fact that only roughly 46 percent of New Yorkers even own a car.

Rhode Island, Washington, and even Alaska also seem to be staying off the roads, with some of the lowest state mileage in America.

Why state mileage trends are changing

The pandemic changed driving habits for good.

Remote work and hybrid schedules chopped down commutes, and once people retire, their mileage drops 30 percent on average.

Men still rule the odometer, driving about 20 percent more than women, and after 65, that gap doubles.

Teenagers also drive far less than other age groups. Drivers aged 16-19 average 48 percent fewer miles than the typical American, according to KBB.

But the real difference is geography.

If you live in a big city, the car mostly sits – unless it’s circling for parking. If you live in Wyoming? You’re driving 30 minutes just to grab milk.

That kind of distance is why the state mileage gap is so dramatic.

So if your neighbor’s car looks like it’s been to Mars and back while yours is basically a driveway ornament, that’s normal.

In America, some people live on the road, and some barely leave the block.

DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie