10 Best Cities to Own an Electric Vehicle (2023 Report)

Tesla made them cool, the federal government made them more affordable, and slowly, one by one, the major car manufacturers sensed the change in the wind.

That change? Adios, gasoline.

With the mad rush to build electric vehicle infrastructure, promote more purchases of EVs, and make them affordable even for the lowest-paying customer, you might wonder: What are the best cities to own an electric vehicle? We’ve got 10 for you here, the best of the best.

These cities don’t just promote the adoption of electric vehicles, they have built-in charging stations to keep electric vehicles in cities running and low electricity costs to save their EV owners money.

We’ll also touch on the U.S. cities with the most electric cars and the city that has the most electric cars per capita, more than any other city in the country. And, of course, we have a section just about auto insurance for electric vehicles.

Get a jump by checking out our best auto insurance companies page to see which suits your auto insurance needs. All major companies are reviewed.

Scoping out the best auto insurance companies is a great way to start saving on auto insurance. Another proven way is to compare live auto insurance quotes from different companies.

Enter your ZIP code into our free online quote comparison tool to do just that and start saving today.

Now, for those electric vehicles. Ready? Let’s rock and roll.

The Best U.S. Cities to Own an Electric Vehicle in 2021

The 10 best cities to own an electric vehicle come from almost everywhere in the country: Northeast, South, and West. The Midwest is the only region not represented in this list.

California, as you’ll see, doesn’t dominate the list either. Keep reading to find out just what cities are the 10 best for EVs and why.

#10 – San Jose, California

• Charging stations per 100K residents: 49
• Local government EV incentives: 38
• Cost of electricity (kwH): $0.16

Ranking 10th in this list of the best cities to own an electric vehicle, San Jose has its best score in local government electric vehicle incentives with 38 and its worst score in cost of electricity at $0.16 kWh.

While San Jose is generally considered an electric vehicle darling, the cost of electricity is the highest for all of the 10 best cities and hurts EV owners where it matters most — their pocketbooks.

For that reason, it ranks no higher than 10th on this list.

#9 – Baltimore, Maryland

• Charging stations per 100K residents: 36
• Local government EV incentives: 23
• Cost of electricity (kwH): $0.12

Baltimore, ranking 9th in this list of the best cities to own an electric vehicle, sees its best score in local government electric vehicle incentives with 23 and its worst score in cost of electricity at $0.12.

The cost of electricity is what keeps Baltimore from climbing higher in the ranking. But the local government is trying to find a solution: The city electric company offers EV owners reduced utility bills if they charge their electric vehicles during off-peak hours.

#8 – Portland, Oregon

• Charging stations per 100K residents: 25
• Local government EV incentives: 34
• Cost of electricity (kwH): $0.11

Ranking 8th in this list of the best cities to own an electric vehicle, Portland sees its best score in local government incentives with 34 and worst score in charging stations per capita at 25.

While EV owners may find it difficult to use an electric vehicle charging station near them, they benefit from the low cost of electricity — $0.11 kWh—  the third-lowest of all 10 best cities.

Electric vehicles make auto insurance a little more complicated as well, and your rates depend a great deal on your auto insurance company. If you own and drive an EV in Portland, shopping around at different Portland auto insurance agencies can get you off to a good start.

#7 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Charging stations per 100K residents: 51
• Local government EV incentives: 18
• Cost of electricity (kwH): $0.11

Pittsburgh, ranking 7th in this list of the best cities to own an electric vehicle, scores best in charging stations per capita with 51 per 100,000 residents and worst in local government electric vehicle incentives at 18.

Pittsburgh has a plan to increase the number of charging stations by 2025 so that everyone will be within 10 minutes walking distance from a Level 2 charger.

Unfortunately, the lack of incentives still makes owning and purchasing an electric vehicle more expensive than in some other cities.

#6 – Buffalo, New York

• Charging stations per 100K residents: 45
• Local government EV incentives: 24
• Cost of electricity (kwH): $0.12

Ranking 6th in this list of the best cities to own an electric vehicle, Buffalo scores best in charging stations per capita with 45 per 100,000 residents and worst in cost of electricity — $0.12 kWh.

While it is easy to find a charging station in Buffalo compared to other cities on this list, it is expensive to charge the electric vehicle. This toll on the EV owners’ pocketbooks keeps Buffalo from rising further in the ranking.

#5 – Seattle, Washington

• Charging stations per 100K residents: 44
• Local government EV incentives: 26
• Cost of electricity (kwH): $0.12

Seattle, ranking 5th in this list of the best cities to own an electric vehicle, has its best score in the number of local government electric vehicle initiatives with 26 and its worst score in cost of electricity at $0.12 kWh.

The city also has a high number of charging stations per capita (44 per 100,000 residents). The problem, as seen in other cities, is the expense of charging the electric vehicle.

Seattle auto insurance can be expensive and even more so if you’re driving an electric vehicle. In the EV auto insurance section below the ranking, we’ll cover the discounts you can receive for owning an EV and a driver monitoring system that can cut your rates by up to 30%.

#4 – Atlanta, Georgia

• Charging stations per 100K residents: 110
• Local government EV incentives: 21
• Cost of electricity (kwH): $0.12

Ranking 4th in this list of the best cities to own an electric vehicle, Atlanta has its best score in charging stations per capita with 110 per 100,000 residents and its worst in cost of electricity at $0.12 kWh.

Atlanta ranks at the top in charging stations per capita, beating all other cities in our sample.

However, like others on this list, the electricity cost of charging the vehicles is fairly high. As an EV owner, this is critical.

#3 – Austin, Texas

• Charging stations per 100K residents: 50
• Local government EV incentives: 20
• Cost of electricity (kwH): $0.10

Austin, ranking 3rd in this list of the best cities to own an electric vehicle, has its best score in charging stations per capita with 50 per 100,000 residents and worst in the number of local government electric vehicle incentives with 20.

Austin doesn’t have any weaknesses as you might expect from a city in the top 3 of best cities to own an electric vehicle. Even its poorest score is still better than most other cities.

That’s why it landed in the 3rd spot on this ranking.

#2 – Sacramento, California

• Charging stations per 100K residents: 55
• Local government EV incentives: 40
• Cost of electricity (kwH): $0.12

Ranking 2nd in this list of the best cities to own an electric vehicle, Sacramento has its best score in local government electric vehicle incentives with 40 and its worst in cost of electricity at $0.12 kWh.

It scores very high in charging stations per capita as well (55 per 100,000 residents). But the electricity cost keeps it in the 2nd spot as electric vehicle owners may find it expensive to charge their vehicles.

Sacramento auto insurance rates can vary according to the company, the vehicle, and the owner’s driving history. As we’ll cover later, auto insurance for EVs can be expensive, so finding the best ways to lower your auto insurance rates is key.

#1 – Salt Lake City, Utah

• Charging stations per 100K residents: 98
• Local government EV incentives: 22
• Cost of electricity (kwH): $0.10

Salt Lake City, ranking 1st in this list of best cities to own an electric vehicle, has its best score in charging stations per capita with 98 per 100,000 residents and its worst score in local government electric vehicle incentives with 22.

The lower number of incentives means that upstart costs for purchasing an electric vehicle might be high, but the number of charging stations and low electricity cost ($0.10 kWh) means that once you have an EV, using it is less expensive and more convenient.

This gives it the boost into the No. 1 spot.

Compare over 200 auto insurance companies at once!

 Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

Trends for the Top Cities for Owning an EV

Now that we’ve covered the 10 best cities to own an electric vehicle individually, let’s take a look at them holistically and draw attention to certain commonalities or trends they have (or don’t).

The first commonality is the charging infrastructures in the 10 best cities to own an electric vehicle.

Eight of the 10 best cities all have 40 or more charging stations per 100,000 residents.

All 10 best cities also have a high number of local government EV incentives. Each has at least 18 government electric vehicle incentives or more with three cities (San Jose, Portland, and Sacramento) having above 30.

Electricity cost was the one factor that changed quite a bit from best city to best city. Compared to all cities in the sample, none of the best cities were ranked very high in this category.

The cost of electricity affected the Californian cities the most and is partly the reason there are just two cities from California on this list, even though California is clearly the state with the most EV adoption.

Even though Californian cities have the infrastructure and government incentives, they are still expensive for charging electric vehicles, which hurts them in the ranking.

U.S. Major Cities Analyzed for EV-Friendliness

Now that we know the 10 best cities to own an electric vehicle, it’s time to look at all of the 50 cities in our sample. The graph below shows all 50 cities. It’s interactive: Hover your cursor over a city (if you’re on a desktop computer or laptop) or press down with your finger (if you’re using a mobile device or tablet) to see that city’s statistics.

Here are a few interesting statistics drawn from the entire sample:

• Eight of the cities with the most local government EV incentives are on the West Coast
• Charging stations per capita varied wildly with the worst city having 4 per 100,000 residents and the highest 110
• Five of the 10 cities with the highest electricity costs had populations of 1 million or more

There are three cities of particular interest that didn’t make the top 10.

San Francisco has an amazing 52 charging stations per capita and 41 local government electric vehicle incentives but ranks 13th because it has the second-worst electricity cost — $0.26 kWh — of all cities in the sample.

Kansas City has an impressive 88 charging stations per 100,000 residents, but it didn’t make our top 10 due to a higher electricity cost and lower number of EV incentives.

New York City ranks 41st out of all 50 states, not a great look for a city with a reputation for being progressive. But New York City has 30 local government EV incentives, which is higher than average. In the future, NYC may climb the list, and fast.

Auto Insurance Savings for Electric Vehicle Drivers

Electric vehicles are the future but one of the larger questions facing them is, “How much will they actually help?”

Electricity, while cleaner energy than oil or gas, still can affect the environment negatively. The electricity inefficiencies within cities cause waste, a problem that will grow larger as more charging stations get built.

And there are extra expenses for electric car owners as well. You might ask, “Is car insurance cheaper for electric cars?” The unfortunate conclusion is no, at least at this time.

Auto insurance is often more expensive for electric vehicles compared to gas-powered vehicles because EVs are more expensive to repair after an accident.

Tesla insurance rates were often so high with regular auto insurance companies that Tesla decided to offer its own auto insurance.

Fortunately, there are alternative fuel and hybrid vehicle discounts that can make up for those high auto insurance rates. Some of these discounts can be up to 10% of the total auto insurance rate.

You can enroll in a telematics system to lower your rates as well. These systems monitor your driving and give you a discounted rate depending on how good your driving is.

All major auto insurance companies have these and Tesla, with its own insurance, has a Tesla telematics system as well.

Still, as you can see for the best car insurance for a Tesla Model 3 (the world’s best-selling electric vehicle), rates can be high. This is another hurdle society will need to figure out to bring electric vehicles to the masses.

Compare over 200 auto insurance companies at once!

 Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

EV Enthusiasts Share Their Opinions & Experience

In this section, you’ll find a goldmine: EV enthusiasts passionate about clean energy that are actively changing our world through companies or with their own wallets. The street cred is high:

• The owner of a company that sells electric vehicle parts
• The president of an EV-adoption start-up
• A pre-owned car dealer who loves his Jaguar EV’s performance

Ready to be hyped? Let’s hear what they have to say.

If you own an electric car, what type do you have and why did you decide to buy one?

“I currently own two electric cars, a Tesla Model 3 and Tesla Model S, and before that, I owned the Chevy Volt. I decided to “go electric” to save money on gas. I also want to drive a zero-emissions vehicle as it’s better for the environment.

Most importantly, electric cars (especially Tesla vehicles) are super-fast! These cars have instant torque as there’s no lag from a transmission that’s associated with a gas-powered internal combustion engine.”

What are some of the benefits of owning an electric vehicle?

“Filling up a tank is typically 3 to 4 times more expensive than charging up a battery pack. So it really saves money to own one. It’s also better for the environment.

As noted before, these cars have instant torque as there’s no lag from a transmission that’s associated with a gas-powered internal combustion engine. However, it’s important to consider potential mechanical issues and inquire, does auto insurance cover damage caused by a transmission failure? to ensure comprehensive coverage for unexpected situations.

Electric vehicles also handle better due to the fact that a heavy battery pack is in the floor pan of the car, which allows the vehicle to corner better.

The battery pack also helps with vehicle rigidity and makes it safer in a crash. Without an internal combustion engine, there’s an empty ‘frunk’ (or front trunk), which adds extra storage! And without an engine block upfront, in a front-end collision, an electric car is safer due to the ‘crumple zone’ being longer.”

What are some of the challenges you’ve experienced in your city owning an electric car?

“None! I love it. I have a charger at home. Just like my laptop and cell phone, I charge up every night and have the equivalent of a ‘full tank’ every morning! It’s like having a gas station in your garage.”

How has the automobile changed your city over time, good or bad?

“Over time, there have been more electric vehicle chargers installed making it easier to charge at different locations if I desire.”

How are cities pushing the adoption of electric vehicles? Is the city nearest you?

“Tesla has been aggressive throughout Florida, adding “Superchargers” everywhere! In Miami, a city close to me, there’s a lot of chargers, and more are being added every month.”

How can cities do better to help areas be more electric-vehicle friendly?

“Install electric vehicle charging stations! That’s a great way to make ownership more convenient.”

How are cities incentivizing the purchasing of electric cars more than gas-powered cars?

“Currently, in Florida, you can drive in the HOV lane if you own an electric car. This is a helpful incentive as you can avoid traffic. Also, at some city facilities, like City Hall in Boca Raton, there are free charging stations with parking upfront. This makes visiting city facilities pleasant and convenient.

There’s also free charging at the ‘Young at Art’ museum in Davie, FL. This exists at other city facilities throughout Florida as well.”

What trends are cities adopting to reduce carbon emissions and lower carbon footprints?

“Access to the HOV lane if you drive electric is a big one — it exists in Florida and California. Access to charging stations also makes things convenient.”

Matt Pressman is the President of EV Annex.
EV Annex sells parts and accessories for electric vehicles.

---

If you own an electric car, what type do you have and why did you decide to buy one?

“Since April 2020 I have owned a Tesla EV which replaced an ICE (internal combustion engine) car. I live and work in the city of Paris, which has major problems with vehicle congestion and pollution. When it was time to buy a new car it made sense for me to switch to EV from an environmental point of view.

The price of gas is also very high in France, so switching to electric has been more economical as I have access to free charging points.”

What are some of the benefits of owning an electric vehicle?

“Economically, electricity is cheaper than gasoline, and road tax is much less for EVs in France — although the outlay for a new Tesla is more than its gasoline-powered counterparts, it should work out cheaper for me to run in the long term.

I prefer the performance of my Tesla — the way in which it delivers power is completely different to ICE vehicles and the tech seems lightyears ahead.”

What are some of the challenges you’ve experienced in your city owning an electric car?

“There still aren’t many independent Tesla workshops in France, which makes repairs and servicing expensive, and our closest Tesla dealer is in a very busy part of town and not convenient to get to. I think this will change when EVs become more popular over here.”

How has the automobile changed your city over time, good or bad?

“It is still too soon to really sense the benefit of EVs in Paris, as there are still a lot of gasoline and diesel vehicles causing pollution in the city.”

How are cities pushing the adoption of electric vehicles? Is the city nearest you?

“In France, there have been several government-led initiatives to encourage EV uptakes such as tax cuts, a scrappage scheme for old vehicles, and a rapid deployment of charging stations across major cities.”

What are the best cities for owning an electric vehicle doing that others aren’t?

“I frequently travel to Warsaw in Poland for business and have found it a particularly challenging city to find available charge points in. There isn’t a great EV infrastructure there yet, so getting a charge for the return journey home can be difficult.”

How can cities do better to help areas be more electric-vehicle friendly?

“A strong charging infrastructure is vital to support the growth of EV use. Also, the use of EV-only lanes in busy cities would be a great way to encourage people to make the switch.”

How are cities incentivizing the purchasing of electric cars more than gas-powered cars?

“In my experience, the main incentives cities are providing are a reduction in travel taxes and some subsidies to help with the initial purchase.”

Peter Topercer is the CEO of Woyago Travel.
Woyago provides virtual and in-person tours of Paris.

---

“I have owned a Chevrolet Spark EV for the past 3 years. I am very conscious about my carbon footprint and wanted to make more eco-friendly, long-term, and sustainable goals.

As someone who used to own a diesel car before, I clearly see just how many advantages there are to owning an EV.

One of the biggest advantages is that I don’t have to spend as much on maintenance as I did previously, and government incentives like lower registration fees are a major plus.

Also, by not contributing to sound and air pollution, I get a certain feeling of pride. One major challenge that I experienced was when I had issues with my Chevy but found no mechanic who had the knowledge or skill to fix it.

I ended up traveling far to get it fixed. In the past few years, my city has made efforts to be more accepting of EVs and the infrastructure to foster their growth, but there is still a long way to go. I have seen people investing in EV cars, and that’s a way of adopting.

Government incentivizing corporations in the cities to build the necessary infrastructure is another way of creating EV adoption opportunities. Such incentives push people to invest, buy, or build EVs.

This is overall good news for the environment. San Diego, San Jose, and Ontario are good places to own an EV. These cities have low charging costs, increased infrastructure to support EVs, and strong government commitment, leading to many incentives.

However, Minneapolis, St. Petersburg, and Detroit are just not places where an EV could work, as they are ‘charging deserts’ with little EV infrastructure.

Cities are getting smarter, which means more solar-energy-fueled technologies, more focus on public transportation, and, of course, more spending on EVs.”

Chris LaMorte is the Co-Founder of WebChimpy.
His company provides online marketing strategies.

---

How are cities incentivizing the purchasing of electric cars more than gas-powered cars?

“Nearly every municipality is offering free charging as an incentive for car-buyers considering alternative fuels. EV charging is usually positioned in key areas such as financial centers, shopping centers, and recreation centers. This positioning and incentive alleviate any worry about the availability of charging where people travel to the most.

In addition, within those charging areas, EV spots are given VIP positioning for ease of proximity to any business or public area.”

If you own an electric car, what type do you have and why did you decide to buy one?

“I have a Jaguar I-Pace. I have been a British car enthusiast my whole life as well as a previous Jaguar/Land Rover restoration specialist. In my opinion, the I-Pace is not only powerful, beautiful, and eco-friendly, I would argue it’s the best Jaguar ever made.

The Jaguar platform is incredibly robust and the previous issues associated with the brand are virtually non-existent. The I-Pace is easy to use, has incredibly advanced capabilities, and turns heads everywhere I go in it.

Favorite features include dual touchscreen controls, configurable displays, and air suspension. The ride quality of air suspension is unbeatable and to set the record straight, Land Rover was the first OEM to implement this technology in 1993 for the consumer market.

Now that Jaguar and Land Rover are owned by the same company, much is shared across the two brands and the I-Pace stands out from the cluttered EV market for having air suspension and many others.

Lastly, as someone who raced British vehicles competitively, I love the fact that the I-Pace has its own race – the FIA Formula-E. Jaguar is making a huge comeback and for those that don’t know, the brand is going completely electric within the next few years.”

Luke Bratlie is the General Manager of Holmes Volvo Cars.
He is an EV enthusiast and a pre-owned car dealer.

---

If you own an electric car, what type do you have and why did you decide to buy one?

“I drive a Volkswagen e-Golf, which is great for getting small kids around town, and it has a full ‘tank’ every time I leave home. I love the immediately responsive performance, the fact that it’s so quiet, and teaching my kids that we don’t need to keep buying gasoline. “

What are some of the benefits of owning an electric vehicle?

“People are aware of the upfront benefits of driving electric, like tax credits, as well as special rates and rebates from utilities. However, switching to electric vehicles can also lead to significant savings with lower operating costs, fewer repairs, and no need for gas.

In addition, the next-generation features of today’s ever-growing market of electric cars make for a smooth, yet fun ride. And, of course, driving electric also means lower emissions, which means cleaner air for all. “

What are some of the challenges you’ve experienced in your city owning an electric car?

“We chose to start Motor in Indianapolis because of the car culture there and the major strides the city has been taking toward a more sustainable future.”

How has the automobile changed your city over time, good or bad?

“Indianapolis has a rich history in the automobile industry, having been a leading vehicle manufacturer during the turn of the 20th century. Indianapolis is home to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which hosts the annual Indy 500. Being a racing city, Indianapolis is naturally suited to embrace new automobile technology.

Most people here own and drive cars if they don’t own multiple cars per household. This community cares about cars, and about innovation.”

How are cities pushing the adoption of electric vehicles? Is the city nearest you?

“We’ve seen major cities step up to the plate in terms of educating residents about electric cars and providing the resources to make the switch. Indianapolis is one I have been watching, and city partners like Knozone are working in tandem with companies like ours by providing additional resources and educational opportunities.”

What are the best cities for owning an electric vehicle doing that others aren’t?

“What’s pushing these cities forward is that they are thinking with the future in mind. It’s not about where we are now but where we are headed. They have set out goals and are taking actionable steps to encourage residents to be a part of a greener future.

Indianapolis, specifically, aims to have 300 publicly available electric vehicle charging stations by 2025. In addition, the city’s Knozone initiative recently launched a campaign called Highly EVolved, in hopes of encouraging Indianapolis residents to consider electric vehicles.

The number of electric vehicles registered in Marion County has actually tripled in the last two years. Just under 400 electric vehicles were registered in 2017, and 1,058 were registered in 2020.”

How can cities do better to help areas be more electric-vehicle friendly?

“The first step is educating and providing the appropriate resources. Many people think adding public chargers needs to happen first, but in reality, most people can do a lot of charging from home. We want to show people that owning an electric car can fit into any lifestyle and you don’t have to change your usual routine, other than ditching trips to the gas station!”

How are cities incentivizing the purchasing of electric cars more than gas-powered cars?

“We are seeing utility companies step up to help customers learn about and switch to driving electric, including by offering rebates for cars and chargers. Motor recently partnered with AES Indiana to make it easier for AES’ electric utility customers to start driving electric cars.”

What trends are cities adopting to reduce carbon emissions and lower carbon footprints?

“We’re seeing cities go well beyond electric car adoption. While we are seeing larger national EV campaigns come to fruition that provide education and resources, we are also seeing cities make more of a concerted effort overall.

Indianapolis, for example, is also working to certify buildings for energy efficiency; improving park space and growing more trees; and adding bike lanes and greenways, just to name a few. It’s amazing to see just how much of a positive impact we can make when we all take these smaller steps toward a better future.”

Praveen Kathpal is the president of Motor, an EV adoption start-up.
He is dedicated to a transportation future fueled by clean energy.

Best (& Worst) U.S. Cities for Electric Vehicle Ownership

Ready to see the full ranking top to bottom? The table below contains the information for all 50 cities that we used in our sample size including the statistics for all three metrics: electric charging stations per capita, number of local government electric vehicles incentives, and the cost of electricity for each city.

The worst city overall is Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with just eight electric charging stations per 100,000 people, eight local government electric vehicle incentives, and a relatively high electricity cost.

Although no cities in the Midwest made the top 10, that may change with the release of more EV models, such as the best electric trucks. As demand grows in this region for EVs, cities and states may follow suit and build better infrastructure or offer more incentives for purchasing an EV.

Methodology: Determining the 10 Best Cities to Own an Electric Vehicle

For the methodology of this study, our researchers scoured the internet for three specific metrics to find the 10 best cities to own an electric vehicle:

1. Charging stations per capita
2. Local government EV incentives
3. Cost of electricity

For charging stations per capita, our researchers dug deep into U.S. Department of Energy data that listed all known electric charging stations throughout the U.S.

Working with a spreadsheet of thousands of charging stations, our analysts localized and counted the charging stations for all of the 50 cities in our sample.

Our experts compared the number of charging stations in each city to that city’s population, creating a per capita statistic: charging stations per 100,000 residents.

The population statistics came from the U.S. Census Bureau.

For the second metric (local government electric vehicle incentives), our researchers went through a report from The International Council on Clean Transportation to find the number of incentives each city in our sample had.

For the third metric (electricity cost), our researchers looked into data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and ElectricityLocal.com to find electricity rates for each city.

Our analysts then ranked each city by the three individual metrics (1-50, with 1 being the best score) and summed the three individual metric ranks.

The city with the lowest summed ranking placed 1st overall, the city with the 2nd-lowest summed ranking placing 2nd overall, and so forth.

Ready to start saving on auto insurance? Plug your ZIP code into our free online quote tool to compare rates and save today.

 

Compare over 200 auto insurance companies at once!

 Secured with SHA-256 Encryption