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10 Best Cities for Teen Drivers

And the 10 worst

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By Susan Meyer
Updated January 26, 2026
Reviewed By Beth Swanson
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Susan Meyer

Senior Editorial Manager

Susan is a licensed insurance agent and has worked as a writer and editor for over 10 years across a number of industries. She has worked at The Zebr…

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  • Licensed Insurance Agent — Property and Casualty
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Beth Swanson

Insurance Analyst

Beth joined The Zebra in 2022 as an Associate Content Strategist. A licensed insurance agent, she specializes in creating clear, accessible content t…

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  • Licensed Insurance Agent — Property and Casualty
  • Associate in Insurance (AINS)
  • Professional Risk Consultant (PRC)
  • Associate in Insurance Services (AIS)
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  1. Best Cities for Teen Drivers
  2. Worst cities for teen drivers
  3. Methodology

Not All Locations Are the Same for New Drivers

Navigating both the safety and finances of having a teen driver in the house can feel like a lot. After all, teens are more likely to be in a car crash than adults, and this can also cause household car insurance premiums to skyrocket.[1]

But geography plays a major role in the risks surrounding teen drivers. That's why The Zebra analyzed the 50 most populous cities in the country based on the following criteria:

  • Number of fatal crashes involving a young driver: This data accounts for the number of fatal crashes involving a young driver between the ages of 15 and 20 years old in 2023. 
  • Used car price by state: Using data from NetCredit, we looked at each state's average used car cost as a percentage above or below the national average. 
  • Average insurance premium: We used data from The Zebra to find the average annual premium cost for households with a 50-year-old male driver and a male teen driver between 16 and 19 years old.

Find out which cities are the best for teen drivers, plus which ones came in at the bottom of our list.

Best Cities for Teen Drivers

Source: The Zebra

The 10 Best U.S. Cities For Teen Drivers

#1: Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati takes our top spot both in terms of teen driver safety and financials. The city experienced three fatal car crashes with a young driver in 2023, one of the lowest numbers in the country. On top of that, used cars in Ohio cost 3.17% less than the national average, making it more affordable for parents to buy an extra vehicle. The cost to add a teen driver to your auto insurance policy in Cincinnati is also one of the cheapest in the nation, ranking fourth place at just under $4,600 per year.

Cincinnati by the numbers

  • Fatal crashes involving a young driver: 3
  • Used car price (difference from national average): -3.17%
  • Average insurance premium for teen: $4,585

#2: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis stands out with one of the lowest young driver fatalities in the country. With two such accidents in 2023, the city ranks fourth in the category. Used car prices in Minnesota are slightly under the national average, saving 1.27% compared to other locations. Car insurance pricing ranks 13th in Minneapolis, with the average policy costing just over $5,100 per year.

Minneapolis by the numbers

  • Fatal crashes involving a young driver: 2
  • Used car price (difference from national average): -1.27%
  • Average insurance premium for teens: $5,132

#3: Buffalo, New York

Buffalo makes the top of our list with another low number of fatal crashes, indicating a safer driving environment for teens. Car insurance premiums are average compared to the rest of the cities on our list, costing just under $6,000 per year. However, the state of New York has the cheapest used car prices in the country — expect to pay 4.73% less than the national average.

Buffalo by the numbers

  • Fatal crashes involving a young driver: 3
  • Used car price (difference from national average): -4.73%
  • Average insurance premium for teens: $5,955

#4: Richmond, Virginia

Richmond is another city with one of the lowest number of teen driver fatalities, totaling three in 2023. The city's average insurance premium is just under $5,400 when you add a teen to your policy. And while used car prices in Virginia aren't significantly below the national average, you can still save around 0.83%.

Richmond by the numbers

  • Fatal crashes involving a young driver: 3
  • Used car price (difference from national average): -0.83%
  • Average insurance premium for teens: $5,393

#5: Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford has the fewest fatal crashes involving young drivers, with just one fatality in 2023. Insurance premiums are on the higher side at about $5,800 per year, which ranks the city at 23rd place for the category. Used car prices in Connecticut are just over 1% cheaper than the national average.

Hartford by the numbers

  • Fatal crashes involving a young driver: 1
  • Used car price (difference from national average): -1.18%
  • Average insurance premium for teens: $5,831

#6: Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland is the second of three Ohio cities to make the top 10, partially due to Ohio's affordable used car prices. Fatal crashes with young drivers are slightly higher here, totaling seven in 2023. Cleveland has the 10th cheapest car insurance premium out of all the cities we analyzed, averaging just over $5,000 a year.

Cleveland by the numbers

  • Fatal crashes involving a young driver: 7
  • Used car price (difference from national average): -3.17%
  • Average insurance premium for teens: $5,065

#7: Salt Lake City, Utah

Next up is Salt Lake City, which, like many other cities on our list, witnessed three fatal car crashes involving a young driver in 2023. Utah's used car prices are among the lowest in the country, averaging 3.45% less than the nation as a whole. Car insurance, however, is the most expensive out of all the cities in our top 10, costing families an average of $6,242 per year.

Salt Lake City by the numbers

  • Fatal crashes involving a young driver: 3
  • Used car price (difference from national average): -3.45%
  • Average insurance premium for teens: $6,242

#8: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (tied)

Pittsburgh is one of two cities taking 8th place on our list, with one young driver fatality in 2023. However, Pennsylvania's used car prices make Pittsburgh the only city in our top 10 with prices higher than the national average (albeit a modest 0.67%). Insurance premiums come in around $5,200 when you add a teen driver to your policy.

Pittsburgh by the numbers

  • Fatal crashes involving a young driver: 1
  • Used car price (difference from national average): 0.67%
  • Average insurance premium for teens: $5,258

#8: Virginia Beach, Virginia (tied)

Tying Pittsburgh for 8th place is Virginia Beach, which had two more young driver fatalities in 2023. Virginia's used car prices are slightly cheaper than Pennsylvania's, but Virginia Beach's auto insurance premiums are more expensive at $5,645.

Virginia Beach by the numbers

  • Fatal crashes involving a young driver: 3
  • Used car price (difference from national average): -0.83%
  • Average insurance premium for teens: $5,645

#10: Columbus, Ohio

Columbus had a startlingly higher number of fatal young driver crashes in 2023, which totaled 12 for the year. Looking beyond this tragic number, however, the city has one of the cheapest auto insurance premiums for families with teen drivers. The average cost is just $4,883 per year, which comes in second only to Cincinnati.

Columbus by the numbers

  • Fatal crashes involving a young driver: 12
  • Used car price (difference from national average): -3.17%
  • Average insurance premium: $4,883

The 10 Worst U.S. Cities for Teen Drivers

The following 10 cities ranked worse for teen drivers in the U.S. Check the map for the data on how they got there. 

  1. Memphis, Tennessee
  2. Los Angeles, California
  3. Phoenix, Arizona
  4. New Orleans, Louisiana
  5. Kansas City, Missouri
  6. Denver, Colorado and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (tied)
  7. Houston, Texas
  8. Dallas, Texas
  9. Providence, Rhode Island
Worst Cities for Teen Drivers

Source: The Zebra

Wrapping Up

When your teen starts driving, it can be both scary and expensive. The average cost for insuring a 16-year-old driver in the U.S. is now almost $8,000 a year. 

Here are some tips for saving on insurance: 

  • Keep your teen on your policy: If you're the parent of a teen, having your name next to your teen's reduces risk in the eyes of insurers. It's also required by car insurers if your child is a minor or lives in your household and could potentially drive your vehicle.
  • Explore discounts: If you're a good student, you may be able to get a discount for maintaining a certain GPA, or if you have a good driving record, you may be able to get a safe driving discount. Look for anything to show you're more responsible than the average teen driver.
  • Shop around: Compare rates for a number of different carriers to find the best price and coverage. Also, shop around regularly because every birthday counts when it comes to teen driver pricing. 

Methodology

The Zebra pulled three data points to analyze the top 50 MSAs (by population) in the U.S. related to teen drivers.

  • Number of fatal crashes involving a young driver[2]
  • Used car price[3]
  • Average insurance premium (The Zebra)
Sources

  1. Young drivers. [NHTSA]

  2. Crash stats 2023. [NHTSA]

  3. The Cheapest States and Cities for Used Car Shopping. [NetCredit]