While living without a car is slightly impossible in some areas of the United States, it is an option for other areas that have the infrastructure for great public transportation and commutes made possible by walking, biking, or cab. Boston ranks No. 1 for the best cities to live in without a car followed by Newark, New Jersey, according to CoworkingCafe’s latest study.
Ranking third is New York City, where the analysis found that almost half of the population commutes by public transportation. Washington, D.C., which ranks fourth, offers a high density of flexible, coworking spaces, making it an easier city for a closer commute to work. Ranking No. 5 on the top 10 is San Francisco. The city—along with Eugene, Oregon—has the highest bike lane density with 4 miles of bike lanes per square mile.
Analyzing 331 cities across nine categories, CoworkingCafe ranked the top cities to live without a car. Below are the top five:
1. Boston
Boston ranked consistently high across several metrics, making it easy for residents to move around via public transportation and by foot. Twenty-eight percent of Boston’s population uses public transit—the third-largest share among the 331 cities analyzed. The city has a high density of stations and a low number of breakdowns and mechanical failures among public transit vehicles, making the system highly reliable.
2. Newark, New Jersey
With almost 10 different means of public transit per square mile, the city boasts the highest station density among all cities in the study. While metros, buses, and trains are being used by one-fifth of the population, almost 8% choose to move around via taxi, motorcycle, or other similar vehicles.
3. New York City
Known for its rapid transit system and intricate subway lines, almost half of New Yorkers use public transportation to commute within and around the city — the highest share among 331 cities. Accessibility plays a large role with more than two stations available per square mile and 16,000 stops.
4. Washington, D.C.
The nation’s capital claimed the fifth-highest share of residents who use public transportation at 27% and ranked among the top 10 cities where a large share of the population chooses to walk or bike around the city. For the working population, there is also a high density of coworking spaces, with more than 12 spaces per 100,000 residents.
5. San Francisco
San Francisco was fourth in the country when it came to the use of public transportation methods, with almost 28% of the population using its complex infrastructure. The city also came in fifth in terms of taxi or motorcycle usage with almost 4% of its population relying on these means of transportation. Alternatively, residents can also choose to bike as the city had the highest bike lane density in the nation.
Rounding out the top 10 are Philadelphia; Seattle; Oakland, California; Madison, Wisconsin; and Pittsburgh.
