18 Best Cities to Own an Electric Car

Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on LawnStarter.

You likely have seen more electric vehicles these days on the road, at stoplights, and charging in grocery store lots and parking garages.

But some U.S. cities have embraced the electric car faster than others. With huge differences in tax incentives, electricity costs, and charging infrastructure, the convenience of electric vehicle (EV) driving varies widely across the country.

So, where should Americans plug in to the electric car craze?

LawnStarter looked under the hood of the 200 largest U.S. cities to bring you 2021’s best cities to own an electric car.

We ranked the cities based on 11 key factors — from the number of state EV laws and incentives and average insurance premium to the number of charging stations per capita. Read on to discover the best cities to own an electric car, followed by our methodology.

Next time you buy a car, ask yourself which sound is more like music to your ears: the roaring whir of a gas-powered engine or the gentle whisper of an EV?

1. Irvine, CA

Overall Score: 78.55

Infrastructure Rank: 1

Cost Rank: 89

Incentives Rank: 19

Safety Rank: 46

2. Riverside, CA

Overall Score: 71.52

Infrastructure Rank: 120

Cost Rank: 29

Incentives Rank: 8

Safety Rank: 89

3. Sacramento, CA

Overall Score: 71.45

Infrastructure Rank: 32

Cost Rank: 121

Incentives Rank: 1

Safety Rank: 124

4. Fort Collins, CO

Overall Score: 71.36

Infrastructure Rank: 18

Cost Rank: 1

Incentives Rank: 43

Safety Rank: 13

5. Salt Lake City, UT

Overall Score: 69.35

Infrastructure Rank: 2

Cost Rank: 55

Incentives Rank: 49

Safety Rank: 115

6. Santa Rosa, CA

Overall Score: 67.85

Infrastructure Rank: 61

Cost Rank: 132

Incentives Rank: 9

Safety Rank: 24

7. Anaheim, CA

Overall Score: 67.58

Infrastructure Rank: 73

Cost Rank: 33

Incentives Rank: 38

Safety Rank: 95

8. Oxnard, CA

Overall Score: 67.53

Infrastructure Rank: 141

Cost Rank: 68

Incentives Rank: 19

Safety Rank: 12

9. San Diego, CA

Overall Score: 67.48

Infrastructure Rank: 34

Cost Rank: 176

Incentives Rank: 6

Safety Rank: 48

10. Corona, CA

Overall Score: 66.99

Infrastructure Rank: 163

Cost Rank: 18

Incentives Rank: 19

Safety Rank: 39

11. San Jose, CA

Overall Score: 66.67

Infrastructure Rank: 129

Cost Rank: 153

Incentives Rank: 2

Safety Rank: 90

12. Ontario, CA

Overall Score: 66.25

Infrastructure Rank: 139

Cost Rank: 25

Incentives Rank: 19

Safety Rank: 88

13. Huntington Beach, CA

Overall Score: 66.16

Infrastructure Rank: 160

Cost Rank: 43

Incentives Rank: 19

Safety Rank: 41

14. Bakersfield, CA

Overall Score: 65.99

Infrastructure Rank: 94

Cost Rank: 175

Incentives Rank: 2

Safety Rank: 56

15. Rochester, NY

Overall Score: 65.57

Infrastructure Rank: 6

Cost Rank: 70

Incentives Rank: 50

Safety Rank: 92

16. Fontana, CA

Overall Score: 65.54

Infrastructure Rank: 169

Cost Rank: 23

Incentives Rank: 19

Safety Rank: 66

17. Orange, CA

Overall Score: 65.27

Infrastructure Rank: 76

Cost Rank: 54

Incentives Rank: 19

Safety Rank: 141

18. Santa Ana, CA

Overall Score: 65.05

Infrastructure Rank: 153

Cost Rank: 53

Incentives Rank: 19

Safety Rank: 75

Methodology

We ranked the 200 most populated U.S. cities in descending order — from best to worst — based on their individual score totals in the metrics list below. The city that scored the highest was ranked No. 1, or “best.”

• Electric Vehicle Charging Stations per 100,000 Residents
• Share of Roads in Poor Condition
• Average Commute Time
• Average Parking Rate
• Average Monthly Car Insurance Premium
• Electricity Cost
• Presence of Local Clean City Coalitions
• Number of Electric Vehicle Laws and Incentives
• Traffic Fatalities per 100,000 Residents
• Accident Likelihood in City versus National Average
• Property Crime Rate

Sources: Allstate, AreaVibes, CarInsurance.com, Federal Bureau of Investigation, ParkMe, TRIP, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Transportation, and U.S. Energy Information Administration