Mississippi Ranks #9 Nationwide With Just a 2.12% Decline in Auto Registrations
Magnolia State’s Modest 2.12% Decline Outperforms 41 Other States as Total Fleet Grows 7.85%
| Key Findings • Mississippi ranked #9 nationally for auto registration performance, the best among all 42 states that experienced declines from 2019-2023. • The state’s modest 2.12% decline (-17,060 vehicles) significantly outperformed the national average decline of 11.01%. • Mississippi’s total vehicle fleet actually grew 7.85% to over 2.2 million vehicles, driven by a 14.65% surge in truck registrations. • Three of Mississippi’s four neighbors posted positive growth: Arkansas (+5.47%), Louisiana (+4.29%), and Tennessee (+3.88%). |
Mississippi has emerged as the best-performing state among those with declining auto registrations, ranking ninth nationally and outperforming 41 other states. While the Magnolia State lost 17,060 automobiles between 2019 and 2023, a 2.12% decline, this modest decrease stands in stark contrast to the national average of 11.01% and positions Mississippi far ahead of most of the country.
The analysis, conducted by RoadRunner Auto Transport, examined USDOT Motor Vehicle Registration data (MV-1 series) across all 50 states. While 10.2 million vehicles vanished from U.S. roads during the study period, Mississippi’s resilience reflects the strength of its regional economy and shifting vehicle preferences.
Mississippi’s Vehicle Registration: By the Numbers
| Metric | Value |
| Registered autos (2019) | 806,061 |
| Registered autos (2023) | 789,001 |
| Auto change (absolute) | -17,060 |
| Auto change (percent) | -2.12% |
| National rank | #9 of 50 states |
| Rank among declining states | #1 of 42 states |
| Total vehicle fleet (2023) | 2,228,844 |
| Total fleet growth (2019-2023) | +7.85% |
| Trucks registered (2023) | 1,400,622 |
| Truck growth (2019-2023) | +14.65% |
| Motorcycles registered (2023) | 30,639 |
| Motorcycle growth (2019-2023) | -2.76% |
| Buses registered (2023) | 8,582 |
| Bus growth (2019-2023) | +15.52% |
While automobile registrations declined modestly, Mississippi’s total vehicle fleet actually grew by 7.85%, adding over 162,000 vehicles. This growth was driven by a 14.65% surge in truck registrations (+178,941 trucks) and a 15.52% increase in buses (+1,153 buses). The shift from automobiles to trucks mirrors a nationwide trend toward SUVs and pickups.
Mississippi’s Auto Registration by Year
| Period | Autos | Change | % Change |
| 2019 | 806,061 | — | — |
| 2020 | 788,425 | -17,636 | -2.19% |
| 2021 | 893,598 | +105,173 | +13.34% |
| 2022 | 837,128 | -56,470 | -6.32% |
| 2023 | 789,001 | -48,127 | -5.75% |
| Net Change | — | -17,060 | -2.12% |
Mississippi experienced significant volatility during the study period. The standout year was 2020-2021, when the state added 105,173 automobiles, a remarkable 13.34% single-year surge. However, this gain was offset by subsequent declines in 2021-2022 (-6.32%) and 2022-2023 (-5.75%), resulting in a modest net decrease. Without the 2021 spike, Mississippi’s decline would have been considerably steeper.
Mississippi vs. Neighboring States (2019-2023)
| State | 2019 Autos | 2023 Autos | % Change | Rank |
| Arkansas | 886,647 | 935,148 | +5.47% | #4 |
| Louisiana | 1,349,720 | 1,407,575 | +4.29% | #5 |
| Tennessee | 2,185,229 | 2,269,998 | +3.88% | #6 |
| Mississippi | 806,061 | 789,001 | -2.12% | #9 |
| Alabama | 2,109,108 | 1,921,661 | -8.89% | #19 |
Mississippi is surrounded by some of the nation’s best-performing states. Arkansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee all rank in the top 8 nationally with positive growth, three of only eight states to achieve this distinction. While Mississippi’s 2.12% decline places it behind these neighbors, it significantly outperformed Alabama, which lost 8.89% of its registered automobiles.
The Top 8 Growth States vs. Mississippi (2019-2023)
| Rank | State | 2019 | 2023 | Change | % Change |
| 1 | Montana | 439,118 | 495,168 | +56,050 | +12.76% |
| 2 | Utah | 921,645 | 981,361 | +59,716 | +6.48% |
| 3 | Maryland | 1,868,994 | 1,972,390 | +103,396 | +5.53% |
| 4 | Arkansas | 886,647 | 935,148 | +48,501 | +5.47% |
| 5 | Louisiana | 1,349,720 | 1,407,575 | +57,855 | +4.29% |
| 6 | Tennessee | 2,185,229 | 2,269,998 | +84,769 | +3.88% |
| 7 | South Carolina | 1,801,243 | 1,865,739 | +64,496 | +3.58% |
| 8 | Maine | 373,868 | 374,850 | +982 | +0.26% |
| 9 | Mississippi | 806,061 | 789,001 | -17,060 | -2.12% |
Mississippi ranks ninth overall, just behind the eight states that achieved positive growth. While the Magnolia State didn’t make the growth list, its 2.12% decline is dramatically better than the 41 states below it. The gap between Mississippi (#9 at -2.12%) and the next state, North Dakota (#10 at -3.49%), shows Mississippi’s relative resilience.
Mississippi’s Peer Group: States Ranked 9-16
| Rank | State | 2019 | 2023 | Change | % Change |
| 9 | Mississippi | 806,061 | 789,001 | -17,060 | -2.12% |
| 10 | North Dakota | 228,881 | 220,884 | -7,997 | -3.49% |
| 11 | Michigan | 2,831,499 | 2,713,950 | -117,549 | -4.15% |
| 12 | Florida | 7,841,189 | 7,449,551 | -391,638 | -4.99% |
| 13 | Oregon | 1,424,799 | 1,347,532 | -77,267 | -5.42% |
| 14 | Arizona | 2,405,959 | 2,272,039 | -133,920 | -5.57% |
| 15 | Georgia | 3,499,520 | 3,288,514 | -211,006 | -6.03% |
| 16 | New Mexico | 641,838 | 601,418 | -40,420 | -6.30% |
Mississippi leads all states with declining auto registrations. Major states like Florida (-4.99%), Michigan (-4.15%), and Georgia (-6.03%) all experienced steeper drops. Even Sun Belt growth states like Arizona (-5.57%) saw significantly larger declines than Mississippi. This positions the Magnolia State as remarkably resilient in a challenging national environment.
Deep South Region Performance
| State | 2019 Autos | 2023 Autos | % Change | Rank |
| Arkansas | 886,647 | 935,148 | +5.47% | #4 |
| Louisiana | 1,349,720 | 1,407,575 | +4.29% | #5 |
| Tennessee | 2,185,229 | 2,269,998 | +3.88% | #6 |
| South Carolina | 1,801,243 | 1,865,739 | +3.58% | #7 |
| Mississippi | 806,061 | 789,001 | -2.12% | #9 |
| Florida | 7,841,189 | 7,449,551 | -4.99% | #12 |
| Georgia | 3,499,520 | 3,288,514 | -6.03% | #15 |
| Alabama | 2,109,108 | 1,921,661 | -8.89% | #19 |
The Deep South shows a clear divide: four states posted positive growth while four declined. Mississippi leads the declining group, outperforming Florida, Georgia, and Alabama.
Mississippi’s Vehicle Fleet Composition (2023)
| Vehicle Type | Registered | % of Fleet | Growth Since 2019 |
| Automobiles | 789,001 | 35.4% | -2.12% |
| Trucks | 1,400,622 | 62.8% | +14.65% |
| Motorcycles | 30,639 | 1.4% | -2.76% |
| Buses | 8,582 | 0.4% | +15.52% |
| Total Fleet | 2,228,844 | 100% | +7.85% |
Trucks dominate Mississippi’s vehicle fleet at 62.8% of all registrations. Truck registrations surged 14.65%, adding 178,941 trucks since 2019. Bus registrations also grew 15.52%. The decline in automobile registrations is largely offset by the strong growth in trucks and buses, resulting in an overall fleet expansion of 7.85%, adding over 162,000 total vehicles to Mississippi roads.
National Context: Where Mississippi Fits
| National Metric | Value |
| Total U.S. auto registrations (2019) | 93,652,794 |
| Total U.S. auto registrations (2023) | 83,473,503 |
| Net national change | -10,179,291 |
| National percent change | -10.87% |
| States with positive growth | 8 |
| States with negative growth | 42 |
| Mississippi’s national rank | #9 |
| Mississippi’s rank among declining states | #1 (best) |
| Mississippi’s change | -2.12% |
| National average change | -11.01% |
| Mississippi vs. national average | +8.89 pp better |
| Mississippi vs. Southeast average | +6.70 pp better |
| Top state (Montana) | +12.76% |
| Steepest decline (Delaware) | -63.47% |
Methodology
Study Overview
RoadRunner Auto Transport analyzed official motor vehicle registration data from the U.S. Department of Transportation to identify which states experienced the fastest and slowest growth in registered vehicles between 2019 and 2023.
Data Collection Process
Primary Data Source: USDOT Open Data Portal – Motor Vehicle Registrations, 1900-2023 (MV-1, wide format). This dataset is compiled from the Federal Highway Administration’s annual MV-1 series, which aggregates state-reported vehicle registration figures.
Geographic Scope: All 50 U.S. states
Time Period: 2019-2023 (selected to avoid over-weighting 2020 pandemic-year anomalies in year-over-year calculations)
Calculation Methodology
Absolute Growth: Calculated as Registrations_2023 minus Registrations_2019 for each state.
Percent Growth: Calculated as ((Registrations_2023 / Registrations_2019) – 1) x 100.
Ranking: States were ranked by percent growth (primary metric), with secondary analysis by absolute growth for large-state context.
Quality Assurance
All 50 states were verified to have complete registration data for both 2019 and 2023. Outliers were flagged and cross-referenced against source data to ensure accuracy. Regional classifications follow U.S. Census Bureau definitions.
Data Sources
Primary Source: USDOT Open Data – Motor Vehicle Registrations, 1900-2023 (MV-1, wide format)
https://data.transportation.gov/Roadways-and-Bridges/Motor-Vehicle-Registrations-1900-2023-MV-1-wid
Research Dataset:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1DiEOWYErSX8_UC6biB8ZKcm6bcKghAW3nVo90tCReow/
Study by: https://www.roadrunnerautotransport.com/
About RoadRunner Auto Transport
RoadRunner Auto Transport is a leading nationwide vehicle shipping provider, connecting customers with a network of over 25,000 certified carriers. Specializing in safe, reliable transport for cars, SUVs, and trucks, RoadRunner leverages data-driven logistics to navigate complex routes, including severe winter conditions, to ensure every vehicle arrives safely.
For more information, visit www.roadrunnerautotransport.com
