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If you're looking for something similar in size, you're basically talking about New York, LA and Houston. With Chicago, those are the cities over two million in the USA. Of those, only New York is really livable without a car, AFAIK (although I do have a friend who lives without a car in LA, so it's physically possible).
Good point. Thank you. Basically my boyfriend and I trying to find a balance between what he's most looking for in a city and what I am.
Thanks. I have seen these, by the way. It's just kind of hard to judge how useful or efficient a transit system is from Wiki. Will look these over again though.
Thanks. I have seen these, by the way. It's just kind of hard to judge how useful or efficient a transit system is from Wiki. Will look these over again though.
I've actually been looking at Walk Score quite a bit, it's just interesting that even the high scoring cites only have a Transit Score of 50-60 and even lower Bike Scores. Though I guess that's pretty much par for the course in North America right now. It's definitely a good way to sort things given that our current zip has a Walk Score of 42.
Check out a place like Bella Vista in Philadelphia - just one thought but is where I live
Lots of diversity (recently a lot of Vietnamese (Pho) and Mexicans added to a historically Italian and now becoming more young family and hispters), great restaurants, bars etc. Pretty interesting mix of people and cultures.
Very walkable, bikeable, and great PT
Biggest downside based on your criteria is direct access to outdoor activities (no shortage of great biking though in the urban form or into Fairmont Park) - none of which are really that far.
Also Center City is right next door and the other ways are Queen Village or Passyunk Sq (just got voted by Food and Wine as one of the 10 best Foodie streets in America)
I've actually been looking at Walk Score quite a bit, it's just interesting that even the high scoring cites only have a Transit Score of 50-60 and even lower Bike Scores. Though I guess that's pretty much par for the course in North America right now. It's definitely a good way to sort things given that our current zip has a Walk Score of 42.
You don't need the entire city to have a 90+ walk score. If you want that, move to the Netherlands.
You just need to find a large enough contiguous area with a high walk score. For example, having only a 1 square mile of 90+ walk score probably won't be sufficient, but 20 square miles of 90+ walk score probably will have enough "critical mass" to supply all your daily needs without having to leave that area.
Also the availability of a car-sharing service (like zip car) is very helpful and a good sign that there are many car-free people in the area.
yeah I was definitely thinking Chicago for you as well. If you're used to the weather then that's even better!
To get far away, all the major cities in the Northeast (Boston, NYC, Philly, DC) have excellent transit and diverse neighborhoods. Seattle, Portland, SF are your best bets out west. In the south you could possibly make it work in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston or Charlotte, but you'd need to get lucky with job location and you'd still feel a bit trapped without a car (This is true of LA as well). Maybe Denver too but I don't know it well enough to say.
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