The most and least expensive cities to buy a used car
(iSeeCars) – Used car shoppers willing to look beyond their local market can save big on their next purchase, depending on where they live and how far they can travel.
iSeeCars compared the average cost of used cars across the United States and discovered a wide range of prices among the top 50 markets. Among the most and least expensive markets, Cleveland-Akron versus West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce, the price difference for a used car between one and five years old was more than $6,100.
summary:
- While the average price of a used car is $34,227, the price ranges between $6,173 between the most and least expensive US cities
- Cleveland-Akron is the least expensive area to buy a used car, with an average price of $31,458, or 8.1 percent, below the national average.
- West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce is the most expensive area to buy a used car, with an average price of $37,632, or 9.9 percent, above the national average.
- The Ram 1500 has the largest price difference between the least expensive and most expensive cities, with it costing $7,795 more in Denver than it does in Cleveland.
- The Chevrolet Malibu and Toyota Tacoma have the largest difference between the least and most expensive cities, with a shift of more than 17 percent in the amount a buyer can pay for these models
“Research and flexibility are strong assets for used car shoppers,” said Karl Brauer, executive analyst at iSeeCars. “Buyers in Cleveland and Cincinnati, the two larger cities with the least expensive cars, already live in the less expensive cities and can shop locally. But used car buyers in the most expensive cities like West Palm Beach and Denver may want to research bus and plane schedules as part of their shopping process.”
Top 10 least expensive cities to buy a used car
Three Ohio markets are in the top 10 cheapest cities for used cars, indicating that used car prices are generally lower in the Buckeye State. Buyers in all 10 least expensive cities are likely to find attractive used car prices in their local markets. The ability to save between $1,700 and $2,700 still justifies the time and effort of traveling to less expensive cities to purchase used cars, especially for shoppers who live relatively nearby.
“Although these cities have generally attractive prices for used cars, buyers in these markets still need to look at specific models to ensure they can’t find a better deal elsewhere,” Brauer said. “It’s easy to research car prices, both locally and nationally, so there’s no reason not to look beyond your area to see how prices vary for a particular model.”
| The 10 least expensive cities to buy used cars – iSeeCars study | ||||
| Rank | Metro area | Average price of used cars | % price difference from the national average | The price difference in dollars from the national average |
| 1 | Cleveland-Akron (Canton), Ohio | $31,458 | -8.1% | – $2769 |
| 2 | Cincinnati, Ohio | $31,622 | -7.6% | – $2,605 |
| 3 | Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News, Virginia | $31,901 | -6.8% | – $2326 |
| 4 | Fresno-Visalia, California | $31,912 | -6.8% | – $2315 |
| 5 | Orlando-Daytona Beach, Florida | $31,971 | -6.6% | – $2256 |
| 6 | Detroit, Michigan | $31,990 | -6.5% | – $2238 |
| 7 | Columbus, Ohio | $32,177 | -6.0% | – $2050 |
| 8 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | $32,286 | -5.7% | -$1,942 |
| 9 | Indianapolis, IN | $32,418 | -5.3% | -$1,809 |
| 10 | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | $32,443 | -5.2% | – $1784 |
| National average | $34,227 | — | — |
The 10 most expensive cities to buy a used car
The most expensive cities to buy a used car are spread widely across the United States, with West Palm Beach, Denver, Austin, and Seattle ranking in the top four. Florida and Texas each have two cities on the list, but Colorado, Washington, Utah, North Carolina, California, Massachusetts and New Hampshire also appear. Paying $1,000 to $3,400 above the average used car price is more expensive for buyers financing a used car purchase in this high interest rate environment.
“Used car buyers in more expensive markets should look to nearby cities to save money on their next purchase,” Brauer said. “For example, while West Palm Beach, Florida, has the highest average used car price, Orlando is one of the cheapest cities, located less than 200 miles away.”
| The 10 most expensive cities to buy used cars – iSeeCars study | ||||
| Rank | Metro area | Average price of used cars | % price difference from the national average | The price difference in dollars from the national average |
| 1 | West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce, Florida | $37,632 | 9.9% | $3,404 |
| 2 | Denver, CO | $37,233 | 8.8% | $3,005 |
| 3 | Austin, Texas | $36,827 | 7.6% | $2,599 |
| 4 | Seattle-Tacoma, Washington | $36,593 | 6.9% | $2,366 |
| 5 | Salt Lake City, Utah | $36,356 | 6.2% | $2,129 |
| 6 | Charlotte, Nick | $35,976 | 5.1% | $1,748 |
| 7 | dallas fort. Worth, Texas | $35,751 | 4.5% | $1,524 |
| 8 | Miami Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | $35,479 | 3.7% | $1,252 |
| 9 | Los Angeles, California | $35,420 | 3.5% | $1,193 |
| 10 | Boston, MA-Manchester, NH | $35,268 | 3.0% | $1,041 |
| National average | $34,227 | — | — |
Best and worst cities to buy best-selling used cars
Looking at the 25 best-selling cars in the country shows how much money can be saved — or “lost” — based on where you buy the car. The Ram 1500 has the largest price difference at $7,795, ranging from $47,159 in Denver, the most expensive city, to $39,364 in the Cleveland-Akron metro area.
“Imagine a buyer of a Ram 1500 in Denver who knows nothing about the $7,800 savings available on the same truck in Akron, Ohio,” Brower said. “Even with a $300 plane ticket, plus two days spent driving 1,400 miles, a shopper in Denver makes $3,750 per day traveling to Ohio to buy that car compared to someone who buys it locally in Denver.”
| The most and least expensive cities to buy popular used cars – iSeeCars study | ||||||
| model | Least expensive metro area | Average price | Most expensive metro area | Average price | % savings | $ Savings |
| Chevrolet Malibu | Miami Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | $18,417 | dallas fort. Worth, Texas | $22,339 | 17.6% | $3,923 |
| Toyota Tacoma | Miami Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | $32,373 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe, New Mexico | $39,167 | 17.3% | $6,794 |
| Ram 1500 | Cleveland-Akron (Canton), Ohio | $39,364 | Denver, CO | $47,159 | 16.5% | $7,795 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee | Miami Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | $31,742 | Seattle-Tacoma, Washington | $37,419 | 15.2% | $5,677 |
| Ford F-150 | Columbus, Ohio | $38,955 | Salt Lake City, Utah | $45,910 | 15.2% | $6,956 |
| Toyota Rav4 | Jacksonville, Florida | $27,297 | Seattle-Tacoma, Washington | $31,934 | 14.5% | $4,637 |
| Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | Miami Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | $36,523 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe, New Mexico | $42,621 | 14.3% | $6,097 |
| Honda Civic car | Miami Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | $22,691 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe, New Mexico | $26,422 | 14.1% | $3,731 |
| GMC Sierra 1500 | Cleveland-Akron (Canton), Ohio | $44,208 | Greensboro-Winston-Salem, North Carolina | $51,324 | 13.9% | $7,116 |
| Ford Explorer | Miami Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | $32,143 | Seattle-Tacoma, Washington | $37,293 | 13.8% | $5,151 |
| Subaru Outback | Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo, Michigan | $26,944 | Austin, Texas | $31,153 | 13.5% | $4,209 |
| Tesla Model 3 | minneapolis st. Paul, MN | $36,156 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe, New Mexico | $41,803 | 13.5% | $5,647 |
| Chevrolet Equinox | Miami Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | $20,581 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | $23,742 | 13.3% | $3,162 |
| Hyundai elantra | Salt Lake City, Utah | $17,594 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe, New Mexico | $20,286 | 13.3% | $2,692 |
| Subaru Crosstrek | Salt Lake City, Utah | $24,689 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe, New Mexico | $28,291 | 12.7% | $3601 |
| Toyota Highlander | Miami Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | $34,222 | Seattle-Tacoma, Washington | $38,933 | 12.1% | $4,711 |
| Nissan Rogue | Salt Lake City, Utah | $22,546 | Seattle-Tacoma, Washington | $25,517 | 11.6% | $2,971 |
| Honda CR-V | Tampa-St. Petersburg (Sarasota), Florida | $26,591 | Seattle-Tacoma, Washington | $30,024 | 11.4% | $3,433 |
| Mazda CX-5 | Miami Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | $24,566 | Seattle-Tacoma, Washington | $27,653 | 11.2% | $3,087 |
| Honda Accord | Miami Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | $25,040 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe, New Mexico | $27,842 | 10.1% | $2802 |
| Toyota Camry | Miami Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | $24,159 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe, New Mexico | $26,858 | 10.1% | $2699 |
| Jeep Wrangler | Miami Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | $34,183 | Salt Lake City, Utah | $37,842 | 9.7% | $3,658 |
| Toyota Corolla | Greensboro-Winston-Salem, North Carolina | $20,218 | Las Vegas, Nevada | $22,351 | 9.5% | $2,133 |
| Hyundai Tucson | Tampa-St. Petersburg (Sarasota), Florida | $22,639 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe, New Mexico | $24,824 | 8.8% | $2,185 |
| Tesla Model Y | Hartford and New Haven, CT | $48,510 | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | $52,650 | 7.9% | $4,140 |
With used car prices remaining near record highs, and well above pre-coronavirus levels, used car buyers should look for every opportunity to save money on their next car purchase. The disparity in prices between major metro areas in the United States represents an excellent opportunity to enhance the purchasing power of used cars in today’s market.
More from iSeeCars.com:
methodology
iSeeCars analyzed more than 6.5 million 1- to 5-year-old used cars sold from January to August 2023. Average listing prices for cars in each metro area were compared across the top 50 most populous markets, as well as higher prices. – Sale models.
About iSeeCars.com
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This article, The most and least expensive cities to buy a used car, Originally appeared on iSeeCars.com.
