What is the Best State for Car Enthusiasts?
At Speedway Motors, we provide parts for vehicles of all shapes and sizes to customers all over the United States. This got us thinking: where is the best place in the country for people who love cars? To determine that answer, we gathered data on road conditions, annual snowfall, hail events, registration fees, gas price per gallon, the estimated percent of uninsured drivers and even the number of car shows and race tracks in all fifty US states.
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Overall Best State for Car Lovers
When factoring in road upkeep, preferable weather conditions, registration fees, and the number of car shows and race tracks in each state, we determined Florida to be the state that is best for car enthusiasts. In Florida, 71% of the roads are in good condition as the state receives little to no snow. There are a multitude of annual Florida car shows, including the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance where you can see rare, luxury vehicles and participate in charity auctions, as well as the Daytona Turkey Run which features a swap meet and family-friendly events. Florida also has twenty race tracks for auto enthusiasts with a need for speed. However, the gas price per gallon in Florida is $3.09 – which is higher than the national average.
Alabama is the second-best state for car enthusiasts. Approximately 75% of the roads in Alabama are in good condition. It has the best road upkeep of any state in the country. The cost of gasoline is $2.72 per gallon, which is lower than the national average ($3.00). The Alabama Auto Show is held each year in Birmingham and allows enthusiasts to see and learn about the latest cars, trucks and SUVs. Alabama also has twelve race tracks for auto fans to enjoy, including the Alabama International Dragway and the Talladega Superspeedway.
Worst State for Car Enthusiasts
The worst state for car enthusiasts is Colorado. Only 41% of the roads in Colorado are in good condition, and the weather isn’t ideal for driving as it snows an average of 57.6 days per year and sees an average of 234 annual hail events. Colorado also has fairly high annual car registration fees of $45-$120. While Coloradans may not be able to flaunt their pride and joy as often as they would in other states, Colorado does, however, host the Denver Auto Show each year.
What State Has the Most Car Meets?
California has more car shows than any other state in the country. Some of the major events for car enthusiasts in the state include Monterey Car Week which features a multitude of shows, auctions and events, all culminating in the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. There is also the LA Auto Show which boasts one million square feet of car culture.
Best Road Conditions by State
MoneyGeek reported that Alabama has the best-kept roads out of all fifty states. Approximately 75% of the roads in Alabama are in good condition. The state with the second-best-kept roads is New Hampshire where 74% of the roads are in good condition. This may be surprising to some considering that it snows an average of 95.3 days each year in New Hampshire. In third place is Georgia where 72% of the roads are in good condition.
The worst roads in the United States can be found in California. Only 22% of its roads are in good condition. California also has gas prices that far exceed the national average. Still, as one of the most populated states, it hosts the most car shows. The second-worst roads in the United States are in Wisconsin. Only 25% of the roads in Wisconsin are in good condition. The 76.9 days of snow it receives on average is likely a contributing factor to the poor roads. Unlike California, however, Wisconsin has lower gas prices than the national average.
Gas Price per Gallon in Each State
As of December 10, 2024, the average cost of gas per gallon in the United States is $3.00. Oklahoma has the cheapest gas, where a gallon will cost you around $2.53. Texas has the second-cheapest gas in the United States. In Texas, a gallon will cost you $2.59.
Conversely, the most expensive gas in the United States is found in Hawaii where a gallon will cost you $4.56. This is not surprising because Hawaii is disconnected from the mainland so almost all of its oil is imported. The West Coast of the United States also has high gas prices, with California, Washington, Nevada, Oregon and Alaska all charging more than $3.40 per gallon.
Uninsured Drivers by State
All US states require motorists to have car insurance except for New Hampshire and Virginia. Despite this, there are incidents in every state each year involving uninsured motorists. Using this data, the Insurance Information Institute has determined the approximate number of uninsured drivers in each state.
New Mexico has the highest percentage of uninsured drivers. It is estimated that up to 24.9% - almost one quarter of drivers in the state of New Mexico – do not have insurance. Mississippi also has a high number of uninsured drivers. It is estimated that 22.2% of the drivers in Mississippi do not have insurance.
Conversely, only 5.9% of the drivers in Wyoming are uninsured. This is the lowest percentage of uninsured drivers when comparing all fifty states. Maine and Idaho are tied for the second-lowest percentage of uninsured drivers: 6.2%.
Methodology
The best state for car enthusiasts was found by analyzing how well the 50 states performed across eight important factors for any car lover. These factors include the quality of driving based on road and weather conditions, the average cost of owning and operating a car in each state, and the percentage of uninsured drivers on the road—since protecting our cherished vehicles is essential. Lastly, the availability of major car shows and race tracks in each state was also considered. No matter where you call home, Speedway Motors is here to support your passion with the classic truck parts, muscle car parts, hot rod parts, and race car parts you need to keep your build on the road and performing at its best.
Factors
- Percentage of Roads in Good Condition: Out of 100 points, higher percentages earned more points
- Average Annual Number of Days With Snow: Out of 100 points, fewer days earned a higher score
- Average Annual Number of Hail Events: Out of 100 points, fewer events earned a higher score
- Registration Fees and Registration Duration: Out of 100 points, a lower registration fee average (divided by the duration of years) earned a higher score
- Price per Gallon of Gasoline (as of 12/11/2024): Out of 100 points, a lower average price earned a higher score
- Percentage of Uninsured Drivers: Out of 100 points, a lower percentage of uninsured drivers earned a higher score
- Car Shows in the State (out of the top 100): One point was earned for each of the top 100 car shows located in the state
- Race Tracks in the State: One point was earned for each race track located in the state; which includes all dragstrips, dirt ovals, figure 8 courses, paved ovals, and permanent road and temporary street circuits.