Top U.S. Cities for Affordable Car Ownership in 2025

Car ownership costs in the U.S. encompass insurance premiums, fuel prices, parking fees, and maintenance expenses, each contributing significantly to the total expenditure. A comprehensive analysis by Way.com identifies the most and least affordable cities for car owners in 2025, focusing primarily on insurance rates alongside gas and parking costs. Wisconsin cities such as Fond Du Lac, Green Bay, and Appleton offer some of the lowest full coverage insurance premiums in the nation, averaging around $99 to $107 per month, with competitive gas prices near $2.86 to $2.90 per gallon. Similarly, Johnson City and Kingsport in Tennessee present affordable ownership costs due to lower insurance rates and additional savings on taxes and fees. Conversely, cities like Detroit, Tampa, New Orleans, Miami, and Las Vegas demonstrate some of the highest insurance costs, with Detroit averaging nearly $887 per month for full coverage insurance. These cities also experience elevated parking fees and, in some cases, higher gas prices, driving overall ownership costs up considerably. Factors influencing these variations include local tax policies, infrastructure quality, traffic congestion, neighborhood safety, and availability of maintenance services. For instance, lower traffic congestion and better road conditions, as noted in cities like San Diego and Detroit, can reduce vehicle repair and maintenance costs. Areas with higher vehicle theft rates tend to incur elevated insurance premiums. The interplay between insurance premiums and other ownership costs such as gas and parking remains critical in assessing the economic feasibility of owning a car in different urban environments. Balancing affordability, infrastructure quality, and safety can inform insurers and policymakers in understanding regional market dynamics and consumer burden. This analysis provides valuable insight for industry stakeholders concerning geographic disparities in car ownership costs. It highlights the importance of localized data in underwriting, pricing strategies, and regulatory considerations related to auto insurance markets across the United States.