California counties lead United States in electric vehicle adoption

California households owned electric vehicles at a higher rate than the rest of the United States in 2025.

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey shows that nearly 14% of households in California had an electric vehicle, while the national average sat at 5.5%. The state dominated the rankings, with 20 of the top 25 counties in the country located within its borders. The Bay Area region accounted for every spot in the top five rankings.

Santa Clara County took the first place position, where approximately 24% of households owned or leased at least one electric vehicle. Other top-ranking counties included Marin, San Mateo, Alameda, and Contra Costa. Outside of the Bay Area, Orange County and Napa County rounded out the high-performing regions. Ownership patterns varied by housing status, with 18% of homeowner households having an electric vehicle compared to 9% of renter households.

While Western states led the transition, states like North Dakota, Wyoming, and Louisiana reported the lowest adoption rates in the country. The California Energy Commission reported that Californians purchased 86,857 new zero-emission vehicles during the second quarter of 2026, which made up 19.1% of new car sales in the state.