Skip to content
02_Elements/Icons/ArrowLeft Back to Insight
Insights > Markets & finances

Streets of San Francisco Have Greenest Automotive Potential

2 minute read | June 2009

San Francisco loves its green cars more than any other area in the U.S., according to new research from Nielsen. The new data from Nielsen Claritas’ PRIZM Market Potential Report finds that households in San Francisco are 60 percent more likely to buy a green vehicle than the average U.S. home, with Washington D.C. 44 percent more likely and New York City 31 percent more likely.

“These estimates help manufacturers and marketers better understand the markets that have ‘green’ potential, and help them focus their resources,” said Bruce Wilkinson, Vice President of Media and Communications for Nielsen Claritas. “Additionally, it helps them to plan media campaigns and determine inventory levels for each model, market-by-market.”

Cities With Top Market Potential For Green Autos
CITY Potential Buyers Index
San Francisco et al, CA 11,184 160
Washington et al, DC-MD 9,301 144
New York, NY 27,417 131
Boston et al, MA-NH 8,625 129
San Diego, CA 3,842 129
Chicago, IL 12,218 125
Monterey-Salinas, CA 807 125
Honolulu, HI 1,525 124
Los Angeles, CA 19,519 122
Baltimore, MD 3,765 122
Source: The Nielsen Company

The research looked at the national ownership rates of high-mileage vehicles including the Honda Fit, Toyota Prius, Toyota Yaris and Mini Cooper. Using auto registration data from RL Polk and Nielsen’s PRIZM segmentation, the percentage of each segment owning these vehicles was calculated. Individual market potential then was calculated based upon the segment composition of each market.

The top ten was made up primarily of coastal metropolitan area, including Boston (4th), San Diego (5th), Chicago (6th) and Los Angeles (9th), all with populations of over one million. Two exceptions were the relatively small areas of Monterey-Salinas, CA (7th), which has a population of 234,000 and Honolulu, HI (8th), with a population of 442,000.

Places where gas guzzlers still rule the road tended toward the south and Midwest, with the states of West Virginia and Mississippi holding seven of the ten areas that had the lowest rates of green auto ownership.

Cities With Lowest Market Potential For Green Autos
CITY Potential Buyers Index
Glendive, MT 6 56
Charleston et al, WV 738 55
Tri-Cities, TN-VA 504 54
Clarksburg-Weston, WV 168 54
Hattiesburg-Laurel, MS 161 53
Columbus et al, MS 263 50
Presque Isle, ME 43 49
Bluefield et al, WV 194 48
Meridian, MS 97 48
Greenwood-Greenville, MS 98 46
Source: The Nielsen Company

Learn more about Segmentation & Targeting.

Related tags:

Continue browsing similar insights