(iSeeCars) — Used car shoppers willing to look beyond their local market could save substantial money 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 U.S. and discovered a wide spectrum of pricing among the top 50 markets. Between the most and least expensive markets, Cleveland-Akron versus West Palm Beach-Ft. Piearce, the price difference for the average one- to five-year-old used car was more than $6,100.
Summary:
- While the average price for a used car is $34,227, the price shifts $6,173 between the most and least expensive U.S. 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 biggest price difference between the least and most expensive cities, costing $7,795 more in Denver than it does in Cleveland
- The Chevrolet Malibu and Toyota Tacoma have the biggest percentage difference between the least and most expensive cities, with a more than 17 percent shift in how much a buyer can pay for these models
“Research and flexibility are two powerful assets for used car shoppers,” said iSeeCars Executive Analyst Karl Brauer. “Buyers in Cleveland and Cincinnati, the top two cities with the least expensive cars, are already living in the lowest-cost cities and can shop locally. But used car buyers in the most expensive cities like West Palm Beach and Denver might want to research bus and plane schedules as part of their shopping process.”
The Top 10 Least Expensive Cities To Buy a Used Car
Three markets in Ohio make the list of top 10 cheapest used car cities, suggesting used car prices are generally lower in the Buckeye State. Buyers in all 10 of the least expensive cities are likely to find attractive used car pricing in their local markets. The ability to save between $1,700 and $2,700 could still justify the time and effort to travel to the least expensive cities to buy used cars, especially for shoppers who live relatively close to them.
“While these cities have attractive overall used car pricing, buyers in these markets still need to look at specific models to confirm they can’t find a better deal somewhere else,” said Brauer. “It’s easy to research car pricing, both locally and nationally, so there’s no reason not to look beyond your area to get a sense of how much prices vary for a given model.”
10 Least Expensive Cities To Buy Used Cars – iSeeCars Study | ||||
| Rank | Metro Area | Average Price of Used Cars | % Price Difference from National Average | $ Price Difference from National Average |
| 1 | Cleveland-Akron (Canton), OH | $31,458 | -8.1% | -$2,769 |
| 2 | Cincinnati, OH | $31,622 | -7.6% | -$2,605 |
| 3 | Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News, VA | $31,901 | -6.8% | -$2,326 |
| 4 | Fresno-Visalia, CA | $31,912 | -6.8% | -$2,315 |
| 5 | Orlando-Daytona Beach, FL | $31,971 | -6.6% | -$2,256 |
| 6 | Detroit, MI | $31,990 | -6.5% | -$2,238 |
| 7 | Columbus, OH | $32,177 | -6.0% | -$2,050 |
| 8 | Pittsburgh, PA | $32,286 | -5.7% | -$1,942 |
| 9 | Indianapolis, IN | $32,418 | -5.3% | -$1,809 |
| 10 | Oklahoma City, OK | $32,443 | -5.2% | -$1,784 |
| National Average | $34,227 | — | — |
The Top 10 Most Expensive Cities To Buy a Used Car
The most expensive cities to buy a used car are widely scattered throughout the U.S., with West Palm Beach, Denver, Austin, and Seattle ranking in the top four slots. Florida and Texas each have two cities on the list, but cities in Colorado, Washington, Utah, North Carolina, California, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire also make an appearance. Paying between $1,000 and $3,400 above the average used car price is even more costly for buyers financing a used car purchase in this high interest rate environment.
“Used car buyers in the most expensive markets should look to nearby cities to save money on their next purchase,” said Brauer. “For instance, while West Palm Beach, Florida, has the highest average used car price, Orlando is one of the cheapest cities, and less than 200 miles away.”
10 Most Expensive Cities To Buy Used Cars – iSeeCars Study | ||||
| Rank | Metro Area | Average Price of Used Cars | % Price Difference from National Average | $ Price Difference from National Average |
| 1 | West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce, FL | $37,632 | 9.9% | $3,404 |
| 2 | Denver, CO | $37,233 | 8.8% | $3,005 |
| 3 | Austin, TX | $36,827 | 7.6% | $2,599 |
| 4 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | $36,593 | 6.9% | $2,366 |
| 5 | Salt Lake City, UT | $36,356 | 6.2% | $2,129 |
| 6 | Charlotte, NC | $35,976 | 5.1% | $1,748 |
| 7 | Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX | $35,751 | 4.5% | $1,524 |
| 8 | Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, FL | $35,479 | 3.7% | $1,252 |
| 9 | Los Angeles, CA | $35,420 | 3.5% | $1,193 |
| 10 | Boston, MA-Manchester, NH | $35,268 | 3.0% | $1,041 |
| National Average | $34,227 | — | — |
The Best and Worst Cities To Buy Top-Selling Used Cars
Looking at the nation’s 25 best-selling cars illustrates how much money can be saved – or “lost” – based on where a car is bought. The Ram 1500 has the biggest price difference of $7,795, ranging from a high of $47,159 in Denver, the most expensive city, to a low of $39,364 in the Cleveland-Akron metro area.
“Imagine a Ram 1500 buyer in Denver who doesn’t know about the $7,800 savings available on the same truck in Akron, Ohio,” said Brauer. “Even with a $300 plane ticket, plus two days spent driving 1,400 miles, a Denver shopper gets ‘paid’ $3,750 a day traveling to Ohio to buy that vehicle compared to someone who buys it locally in Denver.”
| 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, FL | $18,417 | Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX | $22,339 | 17.6% | $3,923 |
| Toyota Tacoma | Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, FL | $32,373 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM | $39,167 | 17.3% | $6,794 |
| Ram 1500 | Cleveland-Akron (Canton), OH | $39,364 | Denver, CO | $47,159 | 16.5% | $7,795 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee | Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, FL | $31,742 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | $37,419 | 15.2% | $5,677 |
| Ford F-150 | Columbus, OH | $38,955 | Salt Lake City, UT | $45,910 | 15.2% | $6,956 |
| Toyota RAV4 | Jacksonville, FL | $27,297 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | $31,934 | 14.5% | $4,637 |
| Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, FL | $36,523 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM | $42,621 | 14.3% | $6,097 |
| Honda Civic | Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, FL | $22,691 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM | $26,422 | 14.1% | $3,731 |
| GMC Sierra 1500 | Cleveland-Akron (Canton), OH | $44,208 | Greensboro-Winston Salem, NC | $51,324 | 13.9% | $7,116 |
| Ford Explorer | Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, FL | $32,143 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | $37,293 | 13.8% | $5,151 |
| Subaru Outback | Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo, MI | $26,944 | Austin, TX | $31,153 | 13.5% | $4,209 |
| Tesla Model 3 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN | $36,156 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM | $41,803 | 13.5% | $5,647 |
| Chevrolet Equinox | Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, FL | $20,581 | Milwaukee, WI | $23,742 | 13.3% | $3,162 |
| Hyundai Elantra | Salt Lake City, UT | $17,594 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM | $20,286 | 13.3% | $2,692 |
| Subaru Crosstrek | Salt Lake City, UT | $24,689 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM | $28,291 | 12.7% | $3,601 |
| Toyota Highlander | Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, FL | $34,222 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | $38,933 | 12.1% | $4,711 |
| Nissan Rogue | Salt Lake City, UT | $22,546 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | $25,517 | 11.6% | $2,971 |
| Honda CR-V | Tampa-St Petersburg (Sarasota), FL | $26,591 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | $30,024 | 11.4% | $3,433 |
| Mazda CX-5 | Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, FL | $24,566 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | $27,653 | 11.2% | $3,087 |
| Honda Accord | Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, FL | $25,040 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM | $27,842 | 10.1% | $2,802 |
| Toyota Camry | Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, FL | $24,159 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM | $26,858 | 10.1% | $2,699 |
| Jeep Wrangler | Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, FL | $34,183 | Salt Lake City, UT | $37,842 | 9.7% | $3,658 |
| Toyota Corolla | Greensboro-Winston Salem, NC | $20,218 | Las Vegas, NV | $22,351 | 9.5% | $2,133 |
| Hyundai Tucson | Tampa-St Petersburg (Sarasota), FL | $22,639 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM | $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 their record highs, and well above pre-COVID levels, used car buyers should be looking for every opportunity to save money on their next vehicle. The pricing disparity between major U.S. metro areas represents an excellent opportunity to enhance used car purchasing power in today’s market.
More from iSeeCars.com:
- Used Cars Under $20k are Vanishing
- Best and Worst Car Colors for Resale Value
- How Many Miles Should a Used Car Have?
Methodology
iSeeCars analyzed over 6.5 million 1- to 5-year-old used cars sold from January through August 2023. The average listing prices of cars in each metro area were compared across the top 50 most populous markets, as well as the prices of top-selling models.
About iSeeCars.com
iSeeCars.com is a data-driven car search and research company that helps shoppers find the best car deals by providing key insights and valuable resources, including the iSeeCars VIN Check report and Best Cars Rankings. iSeeCars has saved users over $399 million so far by applying big data analytics powered by over 25 billion (and growing) data points and using proprietary algorithms to objectively analyze, score and rank millions of new cars and used cars.
This article, Most and Least Expensive Cities to Buy a Used Car, originally appeared on iSeeCars.com.
