By 1980, what percent of American households owned cars?

• A. 25.4%
• B. 60.2%
• C. 87.2% of households
• D. 95.6%

Answer: (C)

Owning a car had become a standard part of life for most American households by 1980. About 87.2 percent of households had at least one car, reflecting how mobility, suburbia, and daily routines depended on personal vehicles. This level sits between a clearly majority figure and near-universal ownership, matching census data that shows most families could afford and needed a car for work, shopping, and errands. Smaller percentages would understate how common car ownership was, while a figure closer to universal would imply very few households without a car, which isn’t what the data show. So the 87.2% figure best captures the widespread but not complete car ownership of that era.