Michigan is number one for something that costs almost everyone in the state dearly in their wallet.
According to a new study by GOBankingRates, Michigan has the highest cost of ownership for a car in the nation. There’s a $7,216 cost difference between owning a car in Michigan and New Hampshire, the least expensive, over three years.
The study considered the costs of six key factors affecting the expenses of owning a vehicle in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. There’s more than just the purchase price and financing included in this study.
The main six factors were, according to the survey:
- Car sales tax, based on rates provided by CarMax.com and calculated on the average car transaction amount of $33,543 in August 2015 as reported by the Kelley Blue Book.
- Title fees, as reported by the National Conference of State Legislatures.
- Registration fees, as reported by the National Conference of State Legislatures, calculated annually.
- Average annual car insurance premiums, sourced from Insured.com’s 2016 report on car insurance rates by state.
- Annual gas expenses, based on an average of historical regular gas prices in each state sourced from AAA’s Fuel Gauge Report. The expense was calculated based on the assumption of a driver filling up a 14-gallon tank once a week.
- Average car maintenance and repair costs in each state, sourced from CarMD’s 2014 State Repair Cost Rankings.
In Michigan, it cost $15,214.53 for the total cost of ownership over three years. California, number two on the list, was more than $750 cheaper at $14,451.
Having the highest average insurance rates in the nation doesn’t help. Michigan drivers pay $1,413 more than the national average (premiums of $2,738 yearly, or $228 a month), and $441 more than the state with the next-highest insurance premiums, according to the study.
The top ten were rounded out by the District of Columbia, New Jersey, Florida, Maryland, Rhode Island, Montana, Nevada, and Washington. New Hampshire, at the bottom of the list, was more than $1,100 cheaper than their nearest competitor, Missouri. For a complete list, check out their site here.