Author: Jon Hedges
Jon has 40 years of marketing experience in the automotive aftermarket industry.
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How many people drive in the US?
Hedges & Company did a statistical analysis in May 2026, updating previous data, to determine there are 242,412,000 licensed drivers in the US. That includes 87% of US residents of driving age (16 and older). That’s up from 239,911,000 in 2024 and 241,343,000 in 2025. Hedges & Company has tracked automotive data and statistics for over two decades, and there are some interesting facts on how many people drive in the US in this article.
The number of licensed drivers is projected to grow to 245,700,000 by 2030.
What’s just as interesting as the total headcount is who those drivers are and the changes we’re seeing by generation.
It’s mostly Millennials/Gen Y behind the wheel
Right now, Millennials are the largest generation behind the wheel, accounting for roughly 28% of all licensed drivers. But Gen Z is catching up fast. Meanwhile, as Baby Boomers age through their 60s and 70s, their share of licensed drivers is steadily declining.
Millennials, also known as Gen Y, were born in 1980 to 1994.
By the end of this decade, the generational makeup of American drivers will look significantly different than it did just a few years ago.
Scroll down to the bottom where we break down licensed drivers and generations.
More than nine out of 10 adult Americans drive. That’s 242.1 million people who drive in the US.
We pulled 2024 data from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the most recent government data that is available. In May 2026, we revised this analysis to come up with our numbers.
Note: click here for even more automotive aftermarket statistics and trends.
What percentage of American adults have a driver’s license
87% of all American adults of driving age have a driver’s license in 2026. That counts everyone from 16 years old and up. One you look at all Americans 18 years old and older, it jumps to 91%.
California has more drivers than any other state
There are more licensed drivers in California than any other state, with 27,815,343 licensed drivers in 2024, the most recent year for which official state-level data is available from the FHWA. California’s projected to pass 29.3 million licensed drivers by 2030, driven by population and immigration growth.
Texas comes in at number two
The second-highest state is Texas, with 19,543,658 licensed drivers in 2024, up from 17,667,039 in 2020. That’s a gain of nearly 1.9 million drivers in just four years. Texas has the fastest growth rate among the top five states and is projected to reach approximately 22.4 million drivers by 2030.
Florida ranks third with 17,137,725 licensed drivers in 2024, adding over 1.4 million since 2020 (9.1% growth). Florida is close behind Texas in growth momentum, and is projected to approach 19.5 million drivers by 2030.
Fourth place is New York with 12,439,380 licensed drivers in 2024, followed by Pennsylvania with 9,107,421. Both Northeastern states are growing more slowly than the Sun Belt, at roughly 2% since 2020. That reflects broader migration and population trends.
All numbers are from the FHWA Office of Highway Policy Information 2024 report, the most current available as of this writing, with projections through 2030 by Hedges & Company.
| State | 2020 Actual | 2024 Actual | 2030 Projection | Growth 2020-2024 | Growth projection 2024-2030 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 27,005,302 | 27,815,343 | 29,261,000 | +3.0% | +5.2% |
| Texas | 17,667,039 | 19,543,658 | 22,373,000 | 10.6% | +14.5% |
| Florida | 15,715,373 | 17,137,725 | 19,477,000 | +9.1% | +13.7% |
| New York | 12,194,360 | 12,439,380 | 12,922,000 | +2.0% | +3.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 8,930,677 | 9,107,421 | 9,390,000 | +2.0% | +3.1% |
Percentages of drivers by state population
The state with the highest percentage of licensed drivers vs. total population in 2025 is Delaware, at 87%.
Alabama is next at 80%.
The state with the lowest percentage of licensed drivers vs. the driving age population is Montana. In fact, the US states with the lowest percentage of licensed drivers are all geographically next to or near Montana.
According to FHWA statistics 42% of Montana adults have a license. They’re followed by Wyoming and Iowa, tied at 52%, then Iowa and North Dakota, tied at 61%.
After that, Idaho comes in at 66%. Next is Alaska at 67%, which unlike most of the others, isn’t near any other US state at all.
| Year | Licensed Drivers in US |
|---|---|
| 2035 (proj.) | 249,252,000 |
| 2030 (proj.) | 245,693,000 |
| 2026 (est.) | 242,412,282 |
| 2025 | 241,343,000 |
| 2024 | 239,910,581 |
| 2023 | 237,655,885 |
| 2022 | 235,086,153 |
| 2021 | 232,781,797 |
| 2020 | 228,195,802 |
| 2019 | 228,679,719 |
| 2018 | 227,558,385 |
| 2017 | 225,346,257 |
| 2016 | 221,711,918 |
| 2015 | 218,084,465 |
Breakdowns on the growth of drivers in the US, by decade
How many Americans drive? In the post-war 1950s, the number of drivers in the USA increased an average of 3.6% every year.
In the next decade, the 1960s, the number of drivers in the USA increased at a lower average of 2.51% each year.
The 1970s saw the annual increase rise slightly to 2.84%, but we’ve never had an annual growth rate like we had in the 1950s.
Growth in the 1980s-2000s slows
The 1980s were much slower in terms of annual year-over-year growth, with an average of a 1.46% increase in the number of licensed drivers in the US.
In the 1990s that continued to drop, to an average annual increase of 1.24%.
The 2000s saw a continued slowdown with an average annual growth of 1.14%.
Slowest growth in the 2010s
The 2010s had the lowest growth since the 1950s, at 0.81%. In fact, 2012 was the first year with zero growth in licensed drivers in the US from the previous year. (It happened again in 2020 during the pandemic.)
In the 2020s the growth rate in licensed drivers is hovering around 1% per year and less. We’re projecting the annual growth rate in driver’s licenses at about 0.5% in the next couple of years, dropping to .03% by 2030.
One thing slowing down the number of licenses issued: vehicle miles traveled (VMT) per year. VMT decreased in 2020 during the pandemic and that had a negative impact on total licensed drivers.
Population growth is slowing, too
Another factor in the slowdown of license growth: our population growth is slowing. Annual population growth has slowed to 0.4% today, and that is projected to drop to 0.3% by 2030.
Vehicle miles traveled per year peaked at February, 2020, at a 12-month moving average of 3.28 million miles. It bottomed out one year later at 2.87 million miles.
Vehicle miles traveled per year in 2023 recovered to pre-pandemic levels. And with that, there was a slight uptick in licenses issued.
Licensed drivers by age
We looked at how many drivers are in the USA by age. Here is the percentage of Americans with driver’s licenses compared to the total population, using statistics from the Federal Office of Highway Policy Information.
Across all age groups, 91% of all Americans 18 and older have a driver’s license. The lowest percentage of total licensed drivers is among 16- to 19-year-olds, where just 39.5% of the population has a driver’s license.
Statistics are from the 2024 Highway Statistics Series, the most recent data available as of this writing, with projections by Hedges & Company.
Changes to age tracking over time
In 1990, states were required by the Federal government to report the number of drivers under 16 with full driving privileges. In 2006 states had to include provisional licenses because of the increase in Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL). Then 2012, states had to exclude learner’s permits.
Because of all those changes, we’re only showing 18 years and older.
| Age Group | % With License |
|---|---|
| 18 to 24 | 75% |
| 25 to 44 | 91% |
| 45 to 64 | 93% |
| 65 and older | 89% |
| 70 to 84 | 89.3% |
Who’s driving? Licensed drivers by generation
Understanding who holds a driver’s license today and how ages are changing shows us where the automotive aftermarket is headed.
Millennials/Gen Y: the largest group
Millennials/Gen Y currently are the largest generation behind the wheel, accounting for roughly 27.6% of all licensed drivers in 2024. But Gen Z (born 1995 to 2009) is rising fast.
As recently as 2020, Gen Z made up just 9.8% of all licensed drivers. That’s because the oldest Gen Zers were only 25 years old and many were still entering the driving pool. By 2024, Gen Z’s share had jumped to 16.3%, and by 2028 it’s projected to reach 23%. That means Gen Z will nearly equal Millennials’ share of all licensed drivers in just a few years.
Baby Boomers, Silent Generation declining
On the other end of the age spectrum, Baby Boomers, the dominant generation of drivers for decades, accounted for 28.6% of all licensed drivers in 2020. That share is declining steadily as the Boomer generation ages into their late 70s and early 80s, and more seniors voluntarily give up their licenses. By 2028, Boomers are projected to account for roughly 20.7% of drivers. That will be down nearly 8 percentage points from 2020.
The Silent Generation and Builders (born before 1946) are declining the fastest in share terms. They’re now in their 80s and beyond. That segment is expected to fall from 7.8% in 2020 to around 5.2% by 2028.
Gen X to decline slowly
Gen X (born 1965 to 1979), the generation sandwiched between Boomers and Millennials, remains relatively stable at just over 24% of drivers, though their share is slowly declining, too, as the larger Gen Z cohort continues entering the driving population.
This generational shift has real implications for the automotive aftermarket. Younger driver generations, Gen Z and Millennials, tend to drive newer vehicles, engage more with digital and mobile shopping channels, and are increasingly interested in electric and hybrid vehicles.
Implications for the automotive aftermarket
As these generations make up a larger share of drivers, businesses selling parts, accessories, and services will need to reach them where they are.
| Generation | Birth Years | Estimated Ages in 2026 | % of Adult Drivers (2024) | % of Adult Drivers (2028 projected) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gen Z | 1995-2009 | 17 to 31 | 16.3% | 23.0% | ↑ Growing |
| Millennials/Gen Y | 1980-1994 | 32-46 | 27.6% | 27.3% | → Stable |
| Gen X | 1965-1979 | 47-61 | 25.3% | 23.8% | ↓ Declining |
| Baby Boomers | 1946-1964 | 62-80 | 23.9% | 20.7% | ↓ Declining |
| Silent/Builders | Before 1946 | 81+ | 6.8% | 5.2% | ↓ Declining |
How many new drivers are there every year?
In 2022 to 2024, between 1.8 million and 2.8 million new drivers got a license each year. There was a spike in new drivers after the COVID pandemic in 2021 with over 4 million, and there was a drop in new drivers during the pandemic in 2020 of about half a million. Prior to the COVID pandemic, in 2014-2019 there were between 1.1 and 3.9 million new drivers each year; the average was 2.6 million.
The consistent wave of Gen Z drivers entering the licensing pool is the key factor in new license growth going forward. As Gen Z ages through the 16–24 bracket and into the 25–34 range, the sheer size of the cohort keeps new-driver numbers positive, even as overall population growth slows. By the time the oldest Millennials move through their 40s, Gen Z will be in the driver’s seat in more ways than one.
Percentage of adults without a driver’s license
Ever wonder how many people drive without a driver’s license? About 9% of adult Americans don’t have a valid driver’s license but it’s a guess how many of that group actually drive without a license. The age groups with the highest percentage without a driver’s license are 19 years old and under (60.5%), 85 and older (30.9%) and 20 to 24 (19.0%).
How many people drive in the US?
Excluding legal, licensed drivers, it’s difficult to determine exactly how many people drive in the US. On one hand, some people without a driver’s license drive illegally. On the other hand, some people with a valid license don’t drive and have a license for identification purposes, or they just prefer to not drive. Some people may choose to not drive due to health reasons. It’s probably safe to assume that at least 235 million to 240 million Americans actually drive.
That also means between 22 million and 27 million US adults, age 18 and older, don’t drive.
Changes coming by generation
Looking at who’s driving today tomorrow, it’s clear the American driver pool isn’t just growing, it’s evolving. A decade from now, Gen Z will rival Millennials as the largest generation of licensed drivers. The youngest Baby Boomers will be nearly 70. And the composition of drivers in terms of age, generational preferences, and driving habits will look much different than today.
For anyone thinking about the future of the automotive market, that’s important context to keep in mind.
Driver’s licenses by men and women
The question, “how many drivers are in the USA?” often also leads to gender questions. The split between driver’s licenses held by male licensed drivers and female licensed drivers is very even. Based on recent data, 49.3% of all licensed drivers are male and 50.7% are female.
Part of the reason the percentage is higher for female licensed drivers is related to life expectancy. For drivers 85 and older, 53.3% of licensed drivers are female, 46.7% are male.
In a younger age bracket, ages up to 24, that ratio favors males. 51.4% of all 24-year-old and under licensed drivers are male, 48.6% are female.
Number of drivers in the world
It is estimated there are about 1.644 billion drivers in the world in 2025, but the number could be closer to 2 billion drivers. Here’s why it’s difficult to come up with a number: Although about 91% of the US population is a licensed driver, the percentage of drivers around the world is between 16% and 17%. It’s nearly impossible to determine how many licensed drivers there are in the world because different countries enforce driving differently. Some third-world countries may not enforce licensing or testing very much, or at all. The total number of drivers (licensed and unlicensed) in the world is easier to determine than the number of actual licensed drivers in the world.
We do know how many cars are in the world.
How many Uber drivers are there? How many Uber drivers in the US?
If you need to know how many Uber drivers there are, in 2022 Uber claimed there were 5.4 million monthly active drivers and couriers worldwide. Drivers are in 69 countries. That’s up from 2018 when Uber said there were 3 million Uber drivers around the world, in 65 countries.
The Ride Share Guy estimated there were between 1.5 and 2.5 million Uber drivers in the US in 2019. Cnet estimated 1 million Uber drivers in the US in 2019.
According to CNN there were 750,000 Uber drivers in the US in 2017. Business Insider claimed there were 327,000 Uber drivers in the US in 2015. Ride sharing declined significantly with the impact of COVID but seems to be recovering. If you need the NAICS code for Uber drivers follow this link.
How many Lyft drivers in the USA?
It has been claimed that there are 700,000 Lyft drivers in the United States and 1.5 million around the world. CNet cites a report of 1.4 million Lyft drivers in the US. If you need the NAICS code for Lyft drivers follow this link.
How many CDL drivers in the USA?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) there were 2,192,300 heavy-duty truck and tractor-trailer drivers in the US in 2022. That’s up from 1,871,700 in 2016. This is projected at 2,060,500 by 2029. These drivers must have a commercial driver’s license (CDL).
The BLS is forecasting an increase in 30,600 jobs through 2029 with a 4% growth rate.
This article is copyrighted, but it’s polite to share! This content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License and can be distributed or quoted, with attribution given to Hedges & Company, and a link back to this article from your website.
Sources for this article, including number of licensed drivers, are the US Census Bureau, the Federal Highway Administration and Department of Transportation, with additional statistical analysis by Hedges & Company.
