- Wyoming leads the nation at 16,849 VMT per capita, driven by long rural distances and a sparse population.
- Washington D.C. has the lowest per-capita VMT at 5,133 miles, reflecting its dense urban layout and heavy transit use.
- The national average is 11,327 miles per licensed driver per year, according to FHWA data.
- Total U.S. VMT reached 3.26 trillion miles in 2023, a record high driven by population growth and post-pandemic recovery.
01 States with the Most Miles
States where residents drive the most per capita tend to be rural, spread out, and lack significant public transit. The FHWA tracks vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by state, which can be divided by population or licensed drivers to produce per-capita figures.
FHWA, Highway Statistics 2023, Table VM-2 and Census Bureau population estimates| Rank | State | VMT per Capita | Est. Annual Fuel Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | 16,849 | $2,189 |
| 2 | Alabama | 15,203 | $1,775 |
| 3 | Mississippi | 14,876 | $1,699 |
| 4 | New Mexico | 14,521 | $1,722 |
| 5 | Georgia | 14,287 | $1,649 |
| 6 | Oklahoma | 14,105 | $1,615 |
| 7 | Tennessee | 13,988 | $1,578 |
| 8 | Missouri | 13,812 | $1,558 |
| 9 | Texas | 13,690 | $1,501 |
| 10 | Indiana | 13,547 | $1,577 |
Wyoming’s top ranking reflects its vast distances between population centers and near-total reliance on personal vehicles. The state has virtually no public transit outside of small local systems, and commute distances are among the longest in the nation for rural workers.
FHWA, NHTS, trip distance by state; Census ACS, mode of transportation data for Wyoming02 States with the Fewest Miles
States and jurisdictions with lower per-capita VMT tend to have dense urban areas, extensive transit systems, or both. New York, with its New York City transit network, and D.C. consistently rank at the bottom.
FHWA, Highway Statistics 2023, Table VM-2| Rank | State | VMT per Capita | Est. Annual Fuel Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | D.C. | 5,133 | $700 |
| 50 | New York | 7,340 | $1,043 |
| 49 | Rhode Island | 8,412 | $1,144 |
| 48 | Alaska | 8,756 | $1,268 |
| 47 | Hawaii | 8,890 | $1,518 |
| 46 | Massachusetts | 9,103 | $1,221 |
| 45 | Oregon | 9,245 | $1,306 |
| 44 | Pennsylvania | 9,398 | $1,299 |
| 43 | Connecticut | 9,512 | $1,296 |
| 42 | Illinois | 9,650 | $1,369 |
Estimate your vehicle's driving cost using official EPA fuel economy data.
Use the Calculator03 Total VMT by State
Total VMT (not per capita) is driven by population size. Texas and California, as the two most populous states, generate the most total vehicle miles even though their per-capita rates are moderate.
FHWA, Highway Statistics 2023, Table VM-2: Annual VMT by state, all road types| State | Total VMT (billions) | Population (millions) | Per Capita VMT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 283.4 | 30.5 | 13,690 |
| California | 353.7 | 38.9 | 10,244 |
| Florida | 227.5 | 22.6 | 12,258 |
| Georgia | 154.7 | 10.8 | 14,287 |
| Ohio | 121.8 | 11.8 | 10,322 |
California generates the most total VMT (353.7 billion miles) despite ranking only 30th in per-capita driving, illustrating how population size dominates total driving volumes. Texas ranks second in total VMT but much higher in per-capita VMT due to its sprawling geography.
04 Fuel Cost Implications
The combination of driving distance and local gas prices determines each state’s annual fuel cost burden. Wyoming drivers cover the most miles, but relatively low gas prices partially offset the distance. Hawaii drivers cover fewer miles but face the nation’s highest gas prices.
FHWA VMT data combined with EIA state gasoline prices, 202405 VMT Trends Over Time
Total U.S. VMT has grown from 2.75 trillion miles in 2000 to 3.26 trillion in 2023. Growth was interrupted by the 2008 recession and the 2020 pandemic, but driving volumes recovered quickly each time.
FHWA, Highway Statistics Series, Table VM-1: Annual VMT for all roads, 2000–2023| Year | Total U.S. VMT (trillions) | Change vs Prior Year |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2.75 | — |
| 2007 | 3.03 | +10% vs 2000 |
| 2009 | 2.96 | −2.3% |
| 2015 | 3.15 | +3.5% |
| 2019 | 3.23 | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 2.83 | −12.4% |
| 2023 | 3.26 | +1.0% |
The 2020 pandemic caused an unprecedented 12.4% drop in VMT—the largest single-year decline ever recorded. By 2023, total VMT exceeded pre-pandemic levels, driven by population growth and a return to in-person work.
FHWA, Traffic Volume Trends monthly reports, 2020–202306 Data Sources
- FHWA: Highway Statistics 2023, Table VM-2: Vehicle-Miles of Travel by State. fhwa.dot.gov
- FHWA: Highway Statistics, Table VM-1: Annual VMT. fhwa.dot.gov
- Census Bureau: State Population Estimates, 2023. census.gov
- EIA: Weekly Retail Gasoline Prices by state. eia.gov