Where EVs are most common
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U.S. electric vehicle ownership is most concentrated in the West and in major metropolitan areas, according to an Axios analysis of newly released Census Bureau data.
Why it matters: Where EVs are taking hold will shape who benefits first from electric transportation, where charging networks expand, and how quickly the country's auto market shifts away from gas-powered cars.
By the numbers: About 6% of U.S. households with at least one vehicle had an all-electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle in 2025.
- California led the way at 15%, more than double the national rate.
- Washington (9.6%) and Hawaii (9.1%) rounded out the top three states, followed by Nevada (8.8%) and Vermont (8.1%).
- North Dakota (1.4%), Wyoming (1.7%) and Louisiana (1.8%) were among the states with the lowest shares.
Zoom in: California's commanding lead reflects decades of policies encouraging EV purchases and requiring automakers to offer electric models. The state began adopting zero-emission vehicle requirements in 1990.
- The state accounted for nearly 30% of U.S. zero-emission passenger vehicle sales in 2025, despite having 12% of the nation's population.
Zoom out: EV ownership is especially concentrated in major metropolitan areas.
- In the Austin metro area, for example, that share was 9.3%, more than double the Texas statewide rate of 4.5%.
- San Francisco stood at 20%, a high-end number in the EV-rich Golden State.
- Research has linked higher EV adoption around population centers to household income. And another study found that, particularly in higher-income areas, establishing charging infrastructure boosts adoption.
What we're watching: How adoption changes after 2025, the first year the Census asked about EV ownership.
