Buying an American car has long been considered an act of patriotism, although the definition of buying American has become increasingly blurred. There are cars with American nameplates like Buick that are manufactured overseas, while some Volkswagens and Toyotas are assembled in the United States. However, buying a domestic brand versus a foreign one can still signal a sense of pride among proud Americans, even if being made in America isn’t exclusive to American brands.

To determine which states favor domestic auto brands, iSeeCars analyzed 7 million car sales to rank each state by their percentage share of cars with domestic nameplates.

States with the Most American Vehicles
Rank State % American
1 Michigan 75.3%
2 North Dakota 70.0%
3 Wyoming 68.1%
4 South Dakota 67.8%
5 Iowa 65.6%
6 Montana 63.0%
7 Wisconsin 58.5%
8 Nebraska 57.9%
9 Alaska 55.7%
10 Kansas 55.2%
11 Indiana 53.8%
12 Arkansas 53.8%
13 Minnesota 53.3%
14 Kentucky 52.8%
15 Missouri 52.8%
16 West Virginia 52.2%
17 Ohio 50.7%
18 Idaho 50.3%
19 Maine 49.8%
20 Mississippi 49.0%
21 Louisiana 48.5%
22 Oklahoma 47.9%
23 New Mexico 47.8%
24 Illinois 45.7%
25 Texas 44.8%
26 Utah 43.4%
27 Vermont 43.3%
28 Alabama 43.1%
29 South Carolina 43.1%
30 Tennessee 43.1%
31 Delaware 43.0%
National Average 42.7%
32 Colorado 42.4%
33 New Hampshire 42.0%
34 Pennsylvania 41.8%
35 Arizona 41.1%
36 North Carolina 40.5%
37 Georgia 39.5%
38 New York 39.1%
39 Washington 37.9%
40 Rhode Island 37.7%
41 Virginia 37.5%
42 Nevada 37.4%
43 Oregon 34.5%
44 Florida 34.2%
45 Maryland 32.4%
46 Massachusetts 32.1%
47 Hawaii 30.9%
48 New Jersey 29.8%
49 Connecticut 28.5%
50 California 28.3%

  • Michigan, home of the “Motor City” and headquarters of the Big Three automakers buys the most American vehicles, comprising 75.3 percent of the state’s vehicle share.
  • Of the top 10 states with the most American brand cars, five are in the Midwest, two are in the Rocky Mountain region, and two are in the Great Plains region.
  • The state with the fewest American brand vehicles is California. California's diverse population and cultural influences may contribute to a higher demand for foreign cars, reflecting the varied preferences of its residents.
  • Eight out of the 10 states with the lowest proportion of American brand cars are coastal states.
While American cars were once perceived to be inferior to their foreign rivals, today’s American vehicles have caught up to their foreign counterparts in quality and reliability. In fact, many American vehicles made our list of the longest lasting cars , and American pickups are among the most popular cars in the country. Whether you want a dependable truck, an electric vehicle with cutting-edge technology, or even a luxe SUV, there is an American vehicle to suit your needs.

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Methodology:

iSeeCars analyzed over 7 million 1- to 5-year-old used cars sold in 2023. The number of American cars was tallied by state, and the resulting percentage shares were used to rank states.

About iSeeCars.com

iSeeCars.com is a data-driven car search and research company that helps shoppers find the best car deals by providing key insights and valuable resources, including the iSeeCars VIN Check report and Best Cars Rankings. iSeeCars has saved users over $423 million so far by applying big data analytics powered by over 25 billion (and growing) data points and using proprietary algorithms to objectively analyze, score and rank millions of new cars and used cars.