Midwest Consumers and Red States Earn “Road Warrior” Title by Keeping Their Cars the Longest

Ahead of Memorial Day and summer driving season, new data looks at vehicle trends among American consumers

Clearwater, FL – April 12, 2018—Ahead of the Memorial Day holiday and heavy summer driving season, new research shows that consumers in the Midwest are keeping their cars longer than any other region of the United States. Digital Media Solutions, LLC (DMS) released new data that redefines the term “road warriors” to be those Americans that have cars with the highest mileage. According to DMS, the average mileage on a car in the Midwest was 35% higher than the average mileage across the country. Also, on average consumers in red states drove cars with the highest mileage. Americans in general have been holding onto cars longer and, according to the IHS Markit, the average age of a car on the road is almost 12 years old. According to Consumer Reports, almost any car can make it to 200,000 miles and beyond, but some consumers hold onto cars longer than others.

Midwest

The average mileage on a car in the Midwest was 35% higher than the average mileage across the country. But there was a big divide within the Midwest as mileage on cars in the East North Central region averaged 64% higher than mileage in the West North Central region.

South

Average mileage in the South was 5% lower than the U.S. average last year. However, the East South Central states of Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee bucked the region’s trend. Their average mileage was 30% higher than the country’s average.

West

In the western region of the U.S., the average automobile mileage was 8% lower than the country. Mileage for the Mountain and Pacific regions were comparable, varying by just a few percent.

Northeast

Average car mileage was lowest in the Northeast in 2017. The Mid-Atlantic states of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania had the lowest average ― 17% below the nation. Mileage in New England was just 10% lower than the average across the U.S.

Auto ownership information provided by consumers searching for auto warranties was utilized for this report. According to Statista data, there were 268.8 million registered vehicles in the U.S. in 2016. The sample size for this report accounted for more than 10% of registered vehicles. For more information on this data, check out insights.digitalmediasolutions.com

About Digital Media Solutions

Founded by a team of lifelong athletes, Digital Media Solutions, LLC (DMS) is an industry leader in the world of customer acquisition and retention that helps clients maximize their digital marketing to beat the competition and accelerate growth. The company’s set of proprietary assets and capabilities in the world of performance marketing, digital agency services and marketing technology allows clients to meticulously target and acquire the right customers. DMS relentlessly pursues flawless execution for top brands within highly competitive industries. DMS continues to experience explosive year-over-year growth, with continuous recognition on the Inc. 5000 list in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017; the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s TBBJ 200 List in 2015, 2016 and 2017; the Entrepreneur magazine 360 list in 2017; and a top 10 ranking on the 2015 and 2016 Florida Fast 100 lists. Named one of America’s “Best Places to Work” in 2017 by Inc. magazine, DMS brings together some of the industry’s most knowledgeable people, efficient processes and sophisticated technology across the digital and marketing spectrum. The company continues to deliver on its strategic mission, which is backed by its board of investors including multi-billion-dollar Canadian private equity firm Clairvest Group. For more information about DMS, its consumer finance-focused brand Best Rate Referrals or the performance marketing technology Sparkroom, visit digitalmediasolutions.com. Keep up with DMS news at insights.digitalmediasolutions.com and connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/digital-media-solutions-group.

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About the Author

Founded by a team of lifelong athletes, Digital Media Solutions (DMS), the fastest-growing independent digital performance marketing company. The company’s set of proprietary assets and capabilities in the world of performance marketing and marketing technology allow clients to meticulously target and acquire the right customers. DMS relentlessly pursues flawless execution for top brands within highly complex and competitive industries including mortgage, education, insurance, consumer brands, careers and automotive.

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