Mapping the market: How national trends are playing out in top DMAs

When we look at the volume of new vehicle registrations by fuel type, we see some striking regional preferences. Not surprisingly, Los Angeles and San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose are leading the way with nearly a 50/50 split between internal combustion engines (ICE) and hybrid/electric vehicles (EVs). Notably, Miami and San Francisco are the only two in the top 10 where EV registrations outnumber hybrids.

The cost of new vehicle ownership and available inventory also provide some notable differences. For affordability, monthly payments in four DMAs — including New York — are under $700, while the other six have monthly payment averages above that. Detroit is the only DMA with a monthly payment average below $600, and it also has the lowest level of vehicle supply (61 days). Dallas and Houston, with large full-size pickup numbers, have the highest monthly payments of the group (above $800)

Average monthly payments and days’ supply differ (January–June 2025):

• New York – $671 and 68
• Los Angeles – $707 and 69
• Dallas – Ft. Worth $808 and 62
• Houston – $840 and 63
• Miami – Ft. Lauderdale $722 and 68
• Chicago – $701 and 74
• Philadelphia – $651 and 69
• Boston – Manchester $636 and 78
• Detroit – $586 and 61
• San Franisco-Oakland-San Jose – $718 and 74

Major metropolitan areas are likely to be younger, wealthier and more ethnically diverse than the national averages. While those tend to be similar to new vehicle registrations as well, there are some notable exceptions.

• Philadelphia (52%), Detroit (51%) and Boston (50%) all have a higher percentage of buyers aged 55+ than the national average of 49%.
• Miami leads with younger buyers aged 18-34, at 13%. Next is Los Angeles at 12%.
• In the center (adults aged 35-54), Dallas and Houston (both 48%) and San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose (47%) are well ahead of the national average (42%).