Wyomingites Probably Put More Miles On Their Cars Than You Do

Everyone uses their car differently. For some urbanites, it’s a weekend escape vehicle to bucolic settings outside the city. For others, it’s a daily commuter driven 60 miles one way to work. Calculating your average annual mileage is important because it affects your auto insurance rate. According to Kelley Blue Book, the Federal Highway Administration reported that the average licensed American driver drove 12,200 miles in 2023.

Going a step further, these numbers were analyzed at the state level, which demonstrated a vast range in average miles driven. Residents of Washington, D.C. had the lowest average with only 6,678 miles, while Wyoming had the highest — 21,575 miles, over three times as many, and nearly double the national average. Beyond Washington, D.C., drivers living in New York, Rhode Island, and Washington state also averaged less than 10,000 miles in 2023, while residents of Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico and Indiana joined Wyomingites in the 18,000-miles-plus club. But none of them reached even 20,000 miles, let alone topping 21,000.

So how do Wyomingites cover so many more miles than the average American driver? Geographical factors play a role here. With a land area of 97,088.6 square miles and a population of 576,851 people according to the 2020 Census, Wyoming is the second least densely populated state after Alaska. It’s the ninth largest state by area, yet is the lowest-populated U.S. state. With only six people per square mile, Wyoming’s rural nature contributes to the need for logging more miles. 

In contrast, in Washington, D.C. has over 100,000 more people than Wyoming in just 61.1 square miles of land, which would make it by far the smallest state, if it were a state. And it offers more transportation alternatives to cars, such as walkability and mass transit.

But Wyomingites apparently try to make up for this when applying for auto insurance. When completing insurance applications, drivers must enter their estimated annual number of miles driven. Along with the highest average miles traveled per capita of licensed drivers, Wyoming also has the highest percentage of underreported miles to insurance companies, according to data crunched by Insurify. While the average U.S. driver underestimated mileage by 44% in 2023, Wyoming residents underreported their mileage by 73%. 

Drivers in Missouri, New Mexico, Mississippi, and North Dakota were the other top under-reporters. All these states had a higher-than-average number of miles driven, while states with the lowest average miles driven reported more accurately. D.C. drivers actually over-reported their mileage.

A higher number of annual miles can increase your insurance rate because more miles traveled increases your risk of an accident. Other factors affecting your auto insurance rate include your age, driving history, and your vehicle’s make and model.

Let’s dig deeper into how additional miles driven affects the costs of insurance premiums. According to Insurify, for every additional 2,000 to 3,000 miles, your monthly premium typically increases $3 to $5 — not a significant amount considering the increased mileage. For instance, if you estimate driving 10,000 to 11,999 miles in a year, the average annual full-coverage insurance rate is $2,100. However, if your mileage is in the 12,000–14,999 bracket, the average full-coverage insurance rate increases to $2,160. And if you expect to exceed 15,000 miles, the average rate is $2,220.

Reporting your mileage as accurately as possible and updating your insurance company about changes is the best strategy for proper coverage. Despite the cost of car insurance jumping 24% in 2023 alone and car insurance prices being a major factor in recent inflation, you might still see your rate decrease if you have a lifestyle change like a transition to a remote role that could qualify you for a lower-cost, low-mileage auto insurance policy.