List: Here the car density is the highest in the country

Where in the country are there the most cars and how much does the car density actually differ between Sweden's municipalities? We decided to find out how it is with the help of figures from the Central Statistics Office (SCB). The result was both expected and unexpected!

When you sit in a traffic queue in one of Sweden's largest cities, it is easy to imagine that the car density is highest in the metropolitan municipalities. But the truth is that the high population in the big cities makes the car density lower. The municipalities with the largest number of cars per thousand inhabitants are rather found in the northern parts of the country.¨

Dalarna: most cars per inhabitant

We find the highest car density somewhat unexpectedly in Dalarna County. In the municipality of Malung-Sälen, the car density is highest with 693 cars per thousand inhabitants. Shortly after, Älvdalen (686) and then Rättvik (661) arrive. But it doesn't end there. According to our analysis, six of Sweden's ten most car-dense municipalities are located in Dalarna. It is perhaps not a coincidence that every year Rättvik hosts Sweden's biggest car meeting - Classic Car Week.

Lots of cars but low car density in the big cities

Unsurprisingly, the largest number of cars is found in the metropolitan municipalities. Stockholm municipality tops with 359,855 cars, followed by Gothenburg (197,598) and Malmö (125,459). On the other hand, the large cities' high population means that the car density is lower. In the municipality of Sundbyberg, just north of Stockholm, there are only 318 cars per thousand inhabitants – the lowest in all of Sweden. Second on the list of the least car-congested municipalities is Botkyrka municipality (327) and third is Gothenburg municipality (337). The metropolitan municipalities of Malmö (357) and Stockholm (362) end up in fifth and sixth place, respectively.

Without the car, Norrland stops

In the north, the car density is significantly higher than in the country's three largest cities. And that is perhaps not so strange. When the range of public transport is limited, the car becomes the main means of transport. In addition to Dalarna's car-congested municipalities, several Norrland ones also qualify for the list. Already in fourth place we find Härjedalen with 658 cars per thousand inhabitants. A little further down is Överkalix (648) in sixth place and Arjeplog (645) in seventh. At the same time, the total number of cars in the municipalities is among the lowest in the whole country. In Överkalix there are only 2,113 cars and in Arjeplog 1,746 cars.

Highest car density: Number of cars/thousand inhabitants

1. Malung-Sälen 693

2. Älvdalen 686

3. Rättvik 661

4. Härjedalen 658

5. Gagnef 651

6. Upper calyx 648

7. Field plow 645

8. Ragunda 644

9. Mora 642

10. Orsa 636