vehicle miles traveled statewide
North Carolina recorded 127,037,191 thousand vehicle miles traveled in 2024.
North Carolina Department of Transportation, 2024 ↗Reference data for 2026
North Carolina Car Rental & Travel Statistics
Current figures on the visitor economy and the driving that connects North Carolina, including Catawba County. Each number links to its original source.
Last updated August 28, 2026
Driving in North Carolina
Road travel at a glance.
Vehicle-miles-traveled figures are from the North Carolina Department of Transportation's 2024 collection cycle.
vehicle miles traveled in Catawba County
Catawba County recorded 2,050,546.1 thousand vehicle miles traveled in 2024.
North Carolina Department of Transportation, 2024 ↗vehicle miles on urban roads
Urban roads accounted for 73,053,488 thousand vehicle miles traveled in 2024.
North Carolina Department of Transportation, 2024 ↗vehicle miles on interstate highways
Interstate travel accounted for 29,422,413.4 thousand vehicle miles traveled in 2024.
North Carolina Department of Transportation, 2024 ↗Why it matters
North Carolina is built around getting where you need to go.
Statewide driving topped 127 billion miles in 2024, while Catawba County alone recorded more than 2 billion. Those figures put everyday commuting, repair-shop trips, family travel and visitors on the same roads. For drivers whose own vehicle is unavailable, a dependable local rental can keep the day from stopping.
Car rental in Newton, NC →Visitor economy
Travel supports businesses across the state.
Visitor-economy figures are the latest preliminary findings reported by Visit North Carolina for 2025.
visitor spending in North Carolina
Domestic and international visitors spent $37.2 billion in North Carolina in 2025.
Visit North Carolina, 2025 ↗direct tourism jobs
North Carolina direct tourism employment reached 230,997 jobs in 2025.
Visit North Carolina, 2025 ↗average visitor spending each day
Visitors spent more than $101 million per day in North Carolina in 2025.
Visit North Carolina, 2025 ↗average annual tax savings per household
Visitor-generated tax revenue saved North Carolina households an average of $605 in 2025.
Visit North Carolina, 2025 ↗Catawba County visitor economy
Local travel creates measurable activity.
County-level figures are from Visit North Carolina's 2025 visitor spending report, published in August 2026.
visitor spending in Catawba County
Visitors spent $363.42 million in Catawba County in 2025, a 3.5% increase from 2024.
Visit North Carolina, 2025 ↗tourism jobs in Catawba County
Travel and tourism supported 2,551 jobs in Catawba County in 2025.
Visit North Carolina, 2025 ↗state taxes from visitor spending
Visitor spending in Catawba County generated $14.58 million in state taxes in 2025.
Visit North Carolina, 2025 ↗local taxes from visitor spending
Visitor spending in Catawba County generated $12.89 million in local taxes in 2025.
Visit North Carolina, 2025 ↗Methodology & sources
How to use these figures.
This page is a reference roundup, not an original survey. It presents the latest statewide and local figures available from the named public sources as of August 28, 2026. Years refer to the year measured, not necessarily the publication date.
- North Carolina Department of Transportation, 2024 Publication Vehicle Miles Travel Report. Published September 18, 2025; updated September 25, 2025. The report provides statewide, county and road-class vehicle-miles-traveled figures from the 2024 collection cycle.
- Visit North Carolina, “NC tourism hits record spending, loses market share in 2025”. Published in 2026. The release reports preliminary 2025 visitor-economy findings from research conducted by Tourism Economics.
- Visit North Carolina, Visitor Spending by County — 2025. Published August 2026. The report provides county-level visitor spending, employment, and tax figures from Tourism Economics.
Cite this page
Economy Car Rental. “North Carolina Car Rental & Travel Statistics.” Updated August 28, 2026. https://economyrental.net/north-carolina-car-rental-statistics
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