# What American cities not named NYC or Chicago can you comfortably live in w/o a car? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 29, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-cities-not-named-nyc-or-chicago-can-you-comfortably-live-in-w-o-a-car/483613 "2009-01-29T21:20:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-cities-not-named-nyc-or-chicago-can-you-comfortably-live-in-w-o-a-car/483613/1 "2009-01-29T21:20:49Z")
Not that I wouldn’t want to live in NYC or Chicago, but those two are obvious :). My wife and I figured up the other day that with payments, insurance, gas, and a small allowance for maintenance, we could save over $900 a month by getting rid of our cars. That means we could spend the same or even slightly more on housing to be in a more urban area and still be saving money. Pros and cons and such would be nice, too. Especially cost of housing. If we can’t get a 2 bedroom (preferably 3!) in a decent neighborhood for under $2,000/mo (rent or own, no preference at the moment), then I don’t think the trade-off would be worth it (we have a house now with a yard, pool, etc), so I already know places like Manhattan are off the list. And obviously the less expensive, the better. We can’t go anywhere for about 2 more years anyway, so this is very hypothetical, but just for fun: we’ll have a 2 year old at the time, too. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-cities-not-named-nyc-or-chicago-can-you-comfortably-live-in-w-o-a-car/483613/2 "2009-01-29T21:29:05Z")
You can live in San Francisco just fine without a car. Really. Much easier than you can in New York, because of the temperate weather. You’ll have to deal with the hills, but unless you live at the top of one of them, there’s almost always a way around. The two-bedroom place for under $2,000 per month? Not so sure about that. Housing costs are at least comparable to New York. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-cities-not-named-nyc-or-chicago-can-you-comfortably-live-in-w-o-a-car/483613/3 "2009-01-29T21:29:15Z")
Hoboken, NJ or Jersey City, NJ but maybe you would consider those part of NYC. New Orleans seems possible or did before the flood. Boston also looked possible but tougher. San Francisco is another. Hoboken is cheaper than NYC but more convenient to Manhattan than the Bronx. I don’t know were you live now, but if you will have a young kid, you need to think about schools too. I don’t know any of these cities well enough for that part of the equation. I know New Orleans is pretty bad though for schools. ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-cities-not-named-nyc-or-chicago-can-you-comfortably-live-in-w-o-a-car/483613/4 "2009-01-29T21:29:45Z")
Washington DC Metro Area is the obvious (and best) answer. It’s clean, expansive, and useful for everyday travel. The suburbs of VA and MD have the best public schools in the country, as well. You have a major Amtrak hub in the city, and 3 major airports fairly close by. Housing is cheaper than NYC, and would generally fit in your budget plans. ---
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-cities-not-named-nyc-or-chicago-can-you-comfortably-live-in-w-o-a-car/483613/5 "2009-01-29T21:30:45Z")
You’d have to go for an older, densely populated city with excellent public transport. The only ones I know of are really expensive. For instance: Boston San Francisco Maybe DC Montreal (can personally attest to this one as I lived there for undergrad) ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-cities-not-named-nyc-or-chicago-can-you-comfortably-live-in-w-o-a-car/483613/6 "2009-01-29T21:30:57Z")
You can do it in parts of Boston and even some of the suburbs but Boston is not cheap by any measure. $2000 a month could get you something presentable though. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-cities-not-named-nyc-or-chicago-can-you-comfortably-live-in-w-o-a-car/483613/7 "2009-01-29T21:31:41Z")
Portland, OR. Wonderful public transit system. Seattle is pretty good, too. Schools in Portland are OK; not great, but certainly not bad. Pay attention to which neighborhood you move into and you’ll be fine. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-cities-not-named-nyc-or-chicago-can-you-comfortably-live-in-w-o-a-car/483613/8 "2009-01-29T21:33:29Z")
> [@brickbacon](#): > > Washington DC Metro Area is the obvious (and best) answer. It’s clean, expansive, and useful for everyday travel. The suburbs of VA and MD have the best public schools in the country, as well. You have a major Amtrak hub in the city, and 3 major airports fairly close by. Housing is cheaper than NYC, and would generally fit in your budget plans. Can you cite the part about the schools? I would be interested in seeing those reports. If he lived in the burbs, how would he get around to stores and what not? How is the actual mass transit in the city? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-cities-not-named-nyc-or-chicago-can-you-comfortably-live-in-w-o-a-car/483613/9 "2009-01-29T21:40:33Z")
If you live downtown in Indianapolis you could do it - but I don’t see how you could do it with a child. ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-cities-not-named-nyc-or-chicago-can-you-comfortably-live-in-w-o-a-car/483613/10 "2009-01-29T21:45:48Z")
You could get a 3 bedroom outside of Boston (think Brighton/Brookline) for slightly less than $2,000, but it would be very small. Something college students would live in, and the building itself would most likely be populated with college students as well, so that’s something to think about. Boston & it’s immediate suburbs are pretty easy to get around without a car, but the city in general is pretty expensive so you might not end up saving that much money by living there even without a car. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-cities-not-named-nyc-or-chicago-can-you-comfortably-live-in-w-o-a-car/483613/11 "2009-01-29T21:46:12Z")
FWIW I live in the Bronx, and meet all your requirements – no car, decent neighborhood, 2 large bedrooms, and well under your housing budget. Good schools, too. However … we live about as far out in the Bronx as is possible without a car. And I always feel like people moving to NYC for the first time should be more in the center of things so that they can take advantage of all the NYC hype and craziness. ---
**Author:** ![Carl\_Corey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Carl\_Corey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carl_Corey)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-cities-not-named-nyc-or-chicago-can-you-comfortably-live-in-w-o-a-car/483613/12 "2009-01-29T21:46:53Z")
Philadelphia is cheaper than NYC, Boston, or DC. Especially if you don’t have a car. I’ve lived here almost 20 years without one. Schools in town are not good, if that is a concern. But $2000 should be able to get you a nice place in town. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-cities-not-named-nyc-or-chicago-can-you-comfortably-live-in-w-o-a-car/483613/13 "2009-01-29T21:48:55Z")
Pretty much any major college town or area of town have evolved to allow car-less living by necessity. Like Ann Arbor, Boulder etc. ---
**Author:** ![Natty\_Bumppo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e480ec/32.png) [@Natty\_Bumppo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Natty_Bumppo)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-cities-not-named-nyc-or-chicago-can-you-comfortably-live-in-w-o-a-car/483613/14 "2009-01-29T21:48:55Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > If you live downtown in Indianapolis you could do it - but I don’t see how you could do it with a child. Are you sure abou that? IndyGo is fairly pathetic as a bus system, and there is no rail. I love Indianapolis, but I wouldn’t want to live here without a car. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-cities-not-named-nyc-or-chicago-can-you-comfortably-live-in-w-o-a-car/483613/15 "2009-01-29T21:48:57Z")
Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington DC. Key West you don’t need a car, but the issue is it’s way small so if you need something major you may have to drive to Miami. Other cities it’s not very convenient but possible. You could live in Atlanta, or Baltimore or Miami and do OK but it’d be doable but difficult ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-cities-not-named-nyc-or-chicago-can-you-comfortably-live-in-w-o-a-car/483613/16 "2009-01-29T21:53:54Z")
> [@Carl\_Corey](#): > > Philadelphia is cheaper than NYC, Boston, or DC. Especially if you don’t have a car. I’ve lived here almost 20 years without one… Philly’s easy to live in without a car and you can find good apartments (or even the odd rowhouse) suitable to the OP (though I’m not sure about Center City). ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-cities-not-named-nyc-or-chicago-can-you-comfortably-live-in-w-o-a-car/483613/17 "2009-01-29T23:53:15Z")
any of the larger towns of the 13 original states will be very livable without a car. living in them with a car is a bit difficult as most were developed before cars. parking is a bit of a nightmare. alaska is non car easy as well. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-cities-not-named-nyc-or-chicago-can-you-comfortably-live-in-w-o-a-car/483613/18 "2009-01-30T00:00:11Z")
In a few years, if all goes according to plan, Atlanta should be there. Currently it’s doable- between the trains and the buses you can get from A to D most times of the day, but it will take a lot of transfers and familiarity with the schedules, but the planned Belt Line expansions will greatly increase the maneuvarability IF it comes to pass. There are also hourly car rental services that are quite reasonable and have parking spaces at IKEA, the airport, and other high traffic stores for when you need a car. Another vote for D.C., where I’ve never lived but have visited often and never without parking my car at the hotel and training it everywhere. If I’m ever financially independent it will probably be my city of choice. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-cities-not-named-nyc-or-chicago-can-you-comfortably-live-in-w-o-a-car/483613/19 "2009-01-30T00:06:45Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Hoboken, NJ or Jersey City, NJ but maybe you would consider those part of NYC. I would consider that part of NYC for all intents and purposes. Boston is pretty tough to live in without a car unless you worked and lived along the T. It’s actually pretty tough to live there with a car too. ---
**Author:** ![Rack-a-Bones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rack-a-Bones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rack-a-Bones)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-cities-not-named-nyc-or-chicago-can-you-comfortably-live-in-w-o-a-car/483613/20 "2009-01-30T00:20:49Z")
I’ll second Seattle, WA. Depending on the neighborhood you could live comfortably for $2000/month. I’ve been going the last few years without a car. In the event I need one I either borrow one or rent one. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-cities-not-named-nyc-or-chicago-can-you-comfortably-live-in-w-o-a-car/483613.md?page=2)