New research reveals Maine is state most in need of mechanics

Maine consumers search Google for car repair at a higher level than anywhere else, while Washington, D.C., has the lowest searches

A new study by extended warranty company FindTheBestCarPrice.com analyzed Google Trends to discover search levels for terms related to car problems, such as “auto repair” and “mechanic near me.”

It found that Maine tops the list with the highest search levels over the past 12 months, including the nation’s highest search levels for the term “mechanic.” The state is home to an estimated 356,079 cars, with a population of around 1.341 million, of whom 71.79% use their car to commute to work alone.

Second on the list is Detroit, whose residents make the highest proportion of searches for both “auto repair” and “auto repair near me.” There are 2,691,704 vehicles registered in the state, which equates to 27 cars for every 100 people.

Wyoming comes third for its high frequency of searches for mechanics, and also has America’s 10^th highest percentage of people who travel to work by car, with 84.95% either commuting alone or in a car pool.

Hawaii ranks fourth for mechanic-related searches, while Alaska places fifth. The top ten is rounded out by Washington in sixth, Georgia in seventh, and Missouri, Idaho and West Virginia in eighth, ninth and tenth.

At the other end of the scale, Washington, D.C., has the lowest search levels for car assistance, including the lowest rate of searches for both “auto repair” and “mechanic.” The jurisdiction is by far the least car-reliant in the country when it comes to commuting, with just 30.55% of workers traveling to work by automobile.

Connecticut ranks 50^th in the list for car repair searches, while New York is 49 and Massachusetts is 48.

The latest statistics from the Federal Highway Administration indicate there are 105,135,300 cars in the U.S., while 68.96% of people across the nation drive to work alone, with a further 7.88% choosing to car pool. In total more than three quarters of the working population (76.84%) use a car to get to their job.