Cities With the Most EV Charging Stations per Capita

Cars and Drivers

Published: June 6, 2024 9:50 am

There are 77,179 public alternative fuel stations nationwide, and of those, 67,454 are electric. Charging stations are catching up to the estimated 145,000 fueling outlets nationwide, though realistically they likely don’t need to entirely catch up even if everybody begins driving an electric vehicle.

And we’re still far off from that scenario. These days, as car review site Edmunds notes, electric cars account for a mere 1% of all registered vehicles on the road in the U.S. (according to Experian Automotive). Another reason there may always be a lower need for EV stations is that most owners charge their vehicles at home, something that gasoline-powered vehicle owners cannot do.

Still, with the growing use of EVs, knowing that you have options in terms of charging is always good.

To determine the cities with the most EV charging stations per capita, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on alternative fueling station locations from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Cities were ranked based on the number of public electric vehicle charging stations within their boundaries per 10,000 residents as of March 2024. City boundaries are from the U.S. Census Bureau and are for 2023. Supplemental data on population and median household income are from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey and are five-year estimates. Only cities with at least 50,000 residents were considered.

While the total cost of ownership — including fuel savings and possible incentives — may be cheaper for EVs, the initial outlay is higher as EVs tend to be more expensive than comparable combustion engine vehicles. It may therefore not be surprising to find that many of the cities on the list are quite affluent, where EV ownership may be higher. In fact, in 42, median household income is higher than the national median. (Also see, 2022: See the Top 10 EV Brands Right Now.)

Also, 33 of the 50 cities on the list are on the West Coast, with 23 in California alone — and quite a few in and around Silicon Valley. Again, this is likely not surprising considering that the top markets for EVs are in the West. In fact, “eight of America’s 10 top EV markets touch the West Coast, according to S&P Global Mobility,” notes Kelley Blue Book. The furthest east city in the top 10 is Denver. This may change if in East Coast cities — many of which are built with tall buildings where charging is difficult — charging trees (high-powered electric curbside “trees”) become available.

Why This Matters

Source: Sjo / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images

One of the reasons the EV market flourishes more in West Coast cities may be related to the ability to charge vehicles — at home and while on the road. While there are some cities in the Northeast and South that have quite a bit charging stations per capita, West Coast cities have considerably more. The market for EV may increase in the east with better charging availability.