These Are the Best US Cities to Live Without a Car
Owning, or at least accessing, a car or other type of vehicle is a necessity in most areas of the United States, but this has not always been the case.
Once upon a time, in the first half of the 20th century, cities across America of all sizes had a relatively extensive network of streetcars, trolleybuses, buses, and ferries that transported residents through urban areas, while numerous regional rail lines provided a route . for long distance travel.
But that all changed after World War II, when suburbs and highways were built and cities were made car-friendly. However, there are cities where it is easier to live without a car than in others (in 2023). Here’s what you need to know.
How cities were selected and ranked
To compile this list and rank cities, the CoworkingCafe team analyzed data from 331 US cities with populations over 100,000, using metrics such as:
- Proportion of adults using public transport
- Proportion of adults who prefer walking
- Proportion of adults who prefer cycling
- Percentage of the adult population who commute to work by taxi, motorcycle or similar vehicle.
- Density of public transit stations per square mile
- Average price of a basic fare for an adult in public transport
Finally, each city is assigned an overall score out of 100 possible and then ranked.
You can read more about their methodology here .
The best US cities to live without a car
According to a report by CoworkingCafe , here are the top 10 cities in the US to live without your own car:
- Boston, Massachusetts – total points: 57.2
- Newark, NJ – Total points: 55.3
- New York, NY – Total points: 54.6
- Washington DC – Total points: 51
- San Francisco, California – Total points: 48.7
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Total points: 42
- Seattle, Washington – Total points: 41.3
- Oakland, California – Total Points: 39.5
- Madison, Wisconsin – Total points: 38.2
- Pittsburgh, PA – Total points: 37.8
Ideally, the highest ranked city in the country would manage to score over 57.2 out of 100, so there is definitely room for improvement, including among the top 10 locations. But for now, there are at least a few options for those who don’t have a car or want to rely less on theirs.