What is the Average Mileage Driven Per Year?

How many miles do most people drive their vehicles each year? Understanding the average car mileage per year provides a baseline to compare against your own driving habits. Mileage impacts everything from fuel costs to maintenance and vehicle value. This guide examines data on typical annual miles driven.

What is Average Mileage Per Year?

How Many Miles Do Americans Drive Per Year on Average?

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the average American drives around 13,500 miles annually. That equates to about 1,125 miles per month.

This number has remained relatively stable over the past decade, fluctuating between 12,000 to 14,500 miles driven per licensed driver per year.

Factors like commute distance, location, and lifestyle influence individual mileage. But 13,500 miles serves as a reasonable ballpark figure for typical yearly driving distances.

Average Annual Mileage by Vehicle Type

Average miles driven annually can vary depending on vehicle type and use case:

• Passenger cars: 12,400 miles
• SUVs: 11,600 miles
• Pickup trucks: 13,900 miles
• Minivans: 13,300 miles

Trucks tend to log slightly higher yearly mileage than other personal vehicles. Commercial vans and fleet sedans may accumulate 20,000+ miles per year.

Average Mileage by Age Groups

Younger drivers tend to put more miles on their vehicles each year:

• 16 to 34 years old: 14,900 miles/year
• 35 to 54 years old: 15,100 miles/year
• Over 55 years old: 10,600 miles/year

Retirees and older drivers often have lower mileage needs, keeping cars closer to home. Younger commuters add more miles with work and social trips.

Average Annual Mileage by Location

Driving distances often vary between geographic regions:

• Northeast US: 10,200 miles/year
• Midwest US: 12,100 miles/year
• South US: 15,700 miles/year
• West US: 12,300 miles/year

Southern drivers cover more miles annually on average. Dense northeastern cities have lower mileage but more stop-and-go use. Western distances are heavily car dependent outside urban areas.

Calculating Your Own Annual Mileage

To determine your driving mileage in a year:

• Record odometer reading at the start of the year
• Record the odometer reading on December 31st that same year
• Subtract start mileage from end mileage
• The difference is your annual mileage

Checking mileage over a full calendar year provides your actual miles driven. Compare it to averages based on region and demographics.

Average Mileage Per Year for Different Types of Vehicles

Why Annual Mileage Matters

Tracking yearly mileage is useful for:

• Budgeting fuel costs based on MPG
• Scheduling proper maintenance like oil changes
• Assessing whether to purchase or lease
• Planning insurance coverage and premiums
• Estimating vehicle depreciation and value
• Evaluating buying a high or low mileage used vehicle

Analyzing mileage helps match cars to driving needs and keep ownership costs aligned.

How Mileage Impacts Car Maintenance

Higher mileage directly correlates to more frequent vehicle maintenance. Use average annual miles as a guide to anticipate key service needs:

Oil Changes

• Every 5,000 - 7,500 miles based on severity

At 15,000 miles/year = 3 oil changes per year

At 10,000 miles/year = 2 oil changes per year

Tire Rotations

• Every 6,000 - 8,000 miles
• Aligns with some oil change intervals

Air Filter Replacement

• Every 12,000 - 15,000 miles
• Replace cabin air filter too

Spark Plugs

• Every 30,000 - 60,000 miles
• Much longer interval, up to 5 - 6 years

Tracking miles driven helps budget for and schedule recurring maintenance appropriately. Follow factory recommendations on service intervals.

Does Mileage Affect Gas Costs?

Assuming stable gas prices and MPG, more miles directly increase yearly fuel costs. Some simplified math on gas expenditures:

15,000 miles per year at 25 MPG = 600 gallons of gas used

At $4 per gallon = $2,400 in annual fuel costs

10,000 miles per year at 25 MPG = 400 gallons used

At $4 per gallon = $1,600 in annual fuel costs

The car driven less miles saves $800 in gasoline per year. Budget gas costs based on expected mileage and MPG.

How Does Mileage Impact Used Car Value?

Higher mileage lowers resale value and trade-in value since the car has incurred more wear:

• 100,000+ miles = 20-30% below average market value
• 150,000+ miles = Up to 50% reduction in value

But averages depend heavily on:

• Vehicle maintenance history
• Overall condition
• Make/model reliability reputation

Well maintained lower mileage cars hold value better. But some brands are trusted for durability past 100k miles.

Used Car Value by Mileage Guide

Mileage	Value Impact
Under 60,000	Minimal impact
60,000 - 90,000	Up to 10% reduction
90,000 - 120,000	10-20% below average
120,000 - 150,000	20-30% below average
Over 150,000	Up to 50% below average

When buying used, factor in current mileage and yearly averages as you evaluate pricing and condition.

The Impact of Mileage on Vehicle Performance

Does Mileage Vary by State?

States with higher average annual mileage include:

• Wyoming - 16,904 miles
• South Carolina - 15,982 miles
• Alabama - 15,871 miles

States with lower average annual mileage:

• District of Columbia - 6,925 miles
• Alaska - 8,404 miles
• New York - 8,645 miles

Work commutes, urbanization, and car dependence influence mileage by state. Consider your locality as you estimate typical yearly driving.

FAQs

How can I get an accurate yearly mileage count for my car?

Track your odometer reading each January 1st and December 31st to calculate exact yearly mileage. Record the differences.

Why don't electric cars use mileage to determine service?

EVs rely on elapsed time and diagnostic data instead of mileage intervals. Their drivetrains have fewer parts needing mileage-based service.

Is driving less than 10,000 miles per year bad for a car?

Not inherently bad, but oil changes should follow time intervals if mileage is very low to circulate fresh oil. Watch for fuel varnishing.

What causes high variance in annual mileage between vehicles?

Key factors are commute distance, location (rural vs urban), number of drivers in a household, and whether cars are used for work.

How do car insurance companies use annual mileage rates?

They rely on mileage estimates to assess driving frequency and set premium rates accordingly. Higher mileage equals higher exposure.

Key Takeaways on Average Annual Mileage

• The typical American drives around 13,500 miles annually
• Average mileage varies by vehicle type, age groups, and geographic region
• Tracking your odometer provides personalized mileage data
• Mileage impacts vehicle maintenance, gas costs, insurance, and value
• Higher mileage reduces used car value, but proper maintenance is also key

While actual mileage depends on individual circumstances, having familiarity with yearly driving averages provides helpful perspective for budgeting ownership costs and making informed vehicle purchases.

https://wiack.com/average-mileage-per-year/?feed_id=11324&_unique_id=64d7794b2e371 #Wiack #Car #CarInsurance #CarRental #CarPrice #AutoLoans