Oftentimes I’ll see questions asking “where can you live in the US without a car,” and people will answer with places that are “possible” to live without a car, but would still MASSIVELY SUCK. Or it will include places that don’t need a car for 5 days of the week, but still need a A zipcar every once in a while.

So let me ask this. If **YOU** couldn’t have a diver’s license, where would you live?

34 comments

  1. Portland, NYC (*all of the East Coast Megalopolis too, Boston -> Washington D.C.), Seattle, or San Fran. *Minneapolis too.

  4. As far as I am aware only major cities are even possible for this. So this would really end up sucking for me no matter what because urban cost of living is bullshit.

    I guess NYC is the best place to live without a car that I am aware of.

  7. Most major cities. Portland was great but idk anymore. My brother said it’s been going down

  11. NYC, Boston, Chicago, Denver?

    But good college towns also have great public transport. They also usually have terrific amenities.

    I might pick Amherst or Northampton Mass. Good buses and also the Vermonter Amtrak line which would get me to awesome Vermont towns or NYC or Philly. If I’m willing to change trains, also Montreal and Boston.

  13. I lived in NYC for two years with no car and it was honestly heaven. There was a glorious freedom to forgoing all the expenses of driving for one mta pass every month. Also, I walked and climbed stairs so much that my ass was amazing.

  18. Right here, or maybe Somerville. Boston is still too pro-car and has a lot of cleanup to do from the Menino era.

  20. My brother lives in downtown Austin, TX and gets around fine with just his electric bike. Depending on what you want to do in your free time, you’d be surprised how well you can do without a car, as long as you are in a major city area. Austin isn’t exactly known for its public transport either…

  22. NYC. I was always one of those “car guys,” but I know quite a few people who didn’t get their licenses until late 20s or early 30s. Even now when I need to go into Manhattan the bus and subway is my preferred method.

  24. I live in Seattle and I have never driven. I wasn’t born in the city but I moved here at age 20 for university.

  25. I lived in NYC, Boston and Chicago without a car.

    NYC was by far the easiest to do so. Considering I’m a Yankee and Jet fan, I’d probably move back there lol.

  26. I Can’t have a driver license. Not everyone can or should….

    That being said I wish I could live self efficient so I would have what I need and not be bored, I’d be too busy

  27. I know tons of people in NYC who don’t have cars or even a license. I gave up my car for a few years but in Queens it got a little more difficult to be without.

  29. Philadelphia – They have the Septa transportation system which includes the inner city transportation as well as buses and regional trains that take you to the suburbs.

  30. Most major cities (NYC, Chicago, DC, etc). I live in north jersey and don’t have a drivers license. I commute to work in NYC by bus and train (while in the city). Everything I need is within a 5 minute walk from my apartment.

    Usually urban areas have access to public transportation. Though, the cost of living is higher but it varies by city.

  31. I can’t help but laugh at this. I’m from a very rural town. My grade school was literally in the middle of a corn field because the only land the school could get was a donation from a local farmer. Public transportation sucks and is unreliable in a lot of places. You would have to live in a city with a good train system. Bus systems in the US suck ass. Personally I would never move to the city. I’m not one of those city boys!

  32. I am in NYC right now. I have been living in the Upper West Side for a little while now and I am incredibly happy to not have a car.

    Of course it helped me to part with my car a lot when Carvana offered me thousands more than I paid for my Prius. They must have a very, um, creative business model.

  33. Probably the same place. I work from home, and most of the places I want to go are reachable by walking, biking, or Uber.

  34. In a city with good public transportation. I’ve visited NYC a few times and I feel like you wouldn’t want to own a car in the city. It’s so much easier to get around on the subway system there and it’s affordable to get around on it. I think I’ve always heard Chicago and Philly have good public transportation too. I’m sure I’m leaving many cities out and there’s a lot of cities that have terrible public transportation too

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