Living in milwaukee without a car (Mequon, York: neighborhood, bus, to move)

[NawfalKulam]

Can I comfortably live in Milwaukee with no car? I can't drive at all. I'm an accountant. I'd like a studio for less that $1000/mo. Is this realistic? I have a bicycle and a moped.

[brrabbit]

I had a friend who lived several years in Milwaukee without a car. No problem at all (I mean if you're ok with carless existence in general), you can get anywhere in Milwaukee county by public transportation (even more so with a bike).


However, be prepared to scale down your biking during the winter... Although I had another friend who biked to his job 300 days a year through all seasons, I cannot say it's for faint of heart.

[adr3naline]

What does "I can't drive at all" really mean? If you have a moped, you surely have a license? Cars/parking are cheap in MKE.

But if you live/work downtown, are comfortable with Uber & Lyft...you'll be fine. Using your moped will be difficult in the 5 months of winter or when it rains, which is seemingly every week.

[cfbs2691]

Originally Posted by NawfalKulam

Can I comfortably live in Milwaukee with no car? I can't drive at all. I'm an accountant. I'd like a studio for less that $1000/mo. Is this realistic? I have a bicycle and a moped.

Yes to everything.

[Milwaukee City]

We lived in Mequon for the last 3 years with no car, it's really not that hard. Anything a mile and under is walking distance, even 2 miles is not that bad. The hard part is the adjustment once you get settled in a grove you don't even think about not having a second car.

[Nuclear_Art]

It's probably easier to live car-less than with a car in today's Milwaukee. I'd suggest finding something near enough to here you work that walking is always an option or at least a short walk to a direct bus line or the streetcar. I've known people that have commuted by bike almost the entire year but you should always have your options open. I can get nearly everywhere I need to go by bus or walking. Beyond Uber/Lyft there is Zipcar which can be found in many places around the city.

[ProkNo5]

Originally Posted by Nuclear_Art

It's probably easier to live car-less than with a car in today's Milwaukee.

Yup. I went car-free in Milwaukee in 2005 and it was SO much better than owning a car. Milwaukee's parking laws are insane, and snow emergencies are awful. It made life so much more pleasant to just walk out the door in winter and hop on a warm bus. I do not miss it.

Regarding the OP's question, it's no problem at all. MCTS actually runs a really nice bus system. It doesn't have shiny bells and whistles, but their coverage and frequency are great and I've never had an issue with getting anywhere I needed to go. I'd recommend living anywhere along the Gold or Green Lines, as they have the most frequent service. That said, nearly anywhere in the county on a bus line will be fine. The grid system make pretty much anywhere easy to get to.

[David_Diamond]

Milwaukee is not a city thats easy car-less. Yes, MCTS is pretty good and can but you anywhere in Milwaukee County. I would never just depend on public transportation. Thia isn't Chicago or New York. Imo your best place to move is the East Side. You can find a nice studio for under $1000 and most include water and heat. Biking is very popular. Its a very walkable area. Most things are right in the neighborhood. Check it out. Lower and upper east side Milwaukee. Also Bayview would be another great option.