Tired of getting stuck in traffic, yelling at the car ahead that doesn’t move fast enough when the light changes, or checking your watch every few seconds to make sure you’re not late? You don’t have to endure any of that if you live in a city that prioritizes pedestrian walkways and public transit.
A new report from Realtor.com and the location intelligence company Local Logic names America’s Top Eco-Friendly Cities for Car-Free Transit. These are “places where walking, biking and public transit are not only viable, but widely used…Thriving home values in these markets likely reflect easy access to jobs, culture and a high quality of life,” said Danielle Hale, Realtor.com’s chief economist.
With few exceptions, most of the towns listed are on the East or West coasts. The median listing price of houses in them varies from $335,000 in Minneapolis, MN – one of the exceptions, along with Chicago, to $2.55 million in Brookline, MA. And in 10 of the most walkable cities, half to three-quarters of the residents don’t drive to work.
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Hoboken, NJ leads the list of such cities nationwide. Here, nearly 80% of residents find their way to work without a car, helped by the city’s dense, walkable grid and direct access to trains, ferries and buses run by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, as well as a citywide bike-share program.
Other East Coast cities also ranked high on the list.
Runner-up Cambridge, MA, “a long-time leader in smart city planning,” has invested heavily in bike infrastructure along with multiple Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) train stations.
MBTA’s Green Line also serves Brookline, which is similarly pedestrian-friendly and promotes mixed-use zoning near transit stops to encourage the trend.
Neighboring Boston and Somerville also earned commendations, with 58% and 61%, respectively, of locals commuting without a car. The Go Boston 2030 plan incorporates protected bike lanes and redesigned intersections to protect users.
In metropolitan Washington, DC, almost two-thirds of residents use its efficient network of local trains and buses to get around. Bike-share options make it even easier. The city has also initiated a Vision Zero plan for safer streets to limit traffic deaths. Nearby Arlington, VA, has developed an “urban villages” strategy to stimulate growth around metro stations.
On the West Coast, Berkeley, CA, leads the way, built on its history of progressive urban policy. Sustainability is promoted by the city’s cycling culture, walkable neighborhoods and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) services. “Initiatives like slow streets programs, bike boulevards, and transit-priority corridors further support active, low-impact transportation,” the report noted.
Transit priority is also a feature of neighboring San Francisco, which offers dense residential communities, BART, other transit services, and a car-free Market Street zone.
In Washington State, over half of Seattle’s residents commute without driving, supported by its Link light rail system and the Seattle Bicycle Master Plan.
“How we move through our cities is deeply tied to sustainability, but it also reflects the everyday choices people make about how they want to live,” commented Local Logic CEO, Vincent-Charles Hodder.
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