Pictured is Brush Prairie Auto Sales in Battle Ground. A recent study showed Clark County ranks seventh best in lower purchase prices for used cars.
The automotive buyer intelligence firm Autolist.com this month released a study on the prices of buying used cars in the state of Washington.
Of Washington’s 39 counties, Clark County ranks seventh as the most affordable place to buy a used vehicle. Compared to the state as a whole, used cars in Clark County are $172 less than the Washington average. The study also found Washington to be the seventh most expensive state to buy a used car in the U.S.
“Major metropolitan areas with higher population density tend to have more dealers, which thus leads to more competition and lower prices for buyers,” said Autolist data science specialist Alex Klein. “Clark County is not a major metropolitan area, and as a result we would expect it to be above the state average for a used vehicle.”
Clark County's rapid growth may be influencing the numbers locally. The state, however, may be impacted due to its proximity to Oregon.
“The dynamics are different for every state, but my sense is that Washington is adversely affected by having Oregon and its favorable sales tax as its direct neighbor,” he said.
The study draws on more than 76 million vehicles and 4.5 billion unique data points across vehicles of all makes and models nationwide. In addition to the rankings, it also highlighted what the top five most affordable models in Clark County (see list).
“Usually, vehicles like these are more affordable in areas that have strong weather and/or a working community that is heaving into construction or working outdoors in the elements,” said Kleine.
North Clark County with its rural character, wet weather and rapid growth helps to drive the models purchased.
“I think people don’t realize how many rural areas there are in Clark County, not to mention the large amount of construction companies that are in this area,” said Cheri Hill of 4-H Auto Sales in Brush Prairie.
Kleine says this data can help people decide if they’re best off purchasing locally or traveling for a better deal.
“If driving 500 miles could save a thousand or more dollars, might that be worth it if they are going to own the vehicle for five or ten years? Alternatively, for those not looking to drive to find that perfect price, looking at this data to figure out what vehicles are more affordable around them will allow them to capitalize on local buying dynamics,” Kleine said.
