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I am a single person with a degree that allows me to find work easily anywhere. I am considering leaving the south but not sure where I want to go. I have narrowed the choices down to these cities.
My desire is to live in an ethnically diverse urban setting, whether it's studio or small house, the most important thing I want it's a city with good public transportation and walkable. I hate driving.
I can't speak for the other cities, but I take the bus a lot in Minneapolis, and if you live in the the city itself in one of the more walkable neighborhoods, it's probably possible to live car-free. I take the bus/light rail frequently, but still have a car. If your job isn't in the core or close off of the bus/train line you live on, it could be pretty difficult, and if your job is in the suburbs, you'll need a car. The other issue, is some of the urban, walkable neighborhoods served very well by transit can be more expensive, and you didn't give any info about your expected budget.
Regular-route buses typically come every 10-20 min during the day and 20-30 min later at night. They also don't run all night, so if you're out late, you'd need to Uber or Lyft.
All of those are to some degree walkable...but I'd say only look at St. Louis, Cleveland, and Minneapolis if you want to completely live without a car. Minneapolis would be the easiest. Cities like Cincinnati are urban in parts, but you still need a car.
I can't speak for the other cities, but I take the bus a lot in Minneapolis, and if you live in the the city itself in one of the more walkable neighborhoods, it's probably possible to live car-free. I take the bus/light rail frequently, but still have a car. If your job isn't in the core or close off of the bus/train line you live on, it could be pretty difficult, and if your job is in the suburbs, you'll need a car. The other issue, is some of the urban, walkable neighborhoods served very well by transit can be more expensive, and you didn't give any info about your expected budget.
Regular-route buses typically come every 10-20 min during the day and 20-30 min later at night. They also don't run all night, so if you're out late, you'd need to Uber or Lyft.
What I've found in Minneapolis is that the buses are usually on time, more so than in many other cities. And of course you have the light rail lines as well. The city is also very compact. If your job is in the city, it's easy.
I am a single person with a degree that allows me to find work easily anywhere. I am considering leaving the south but not sure where I want to go. I have narrowed the choices down to these cities.
My desire is to live in an ethnically diverse urban setting, whether it's studio or small house, the most important thing I want it's a city with good public transportation and walkable. I hate driving.
Which one would best fit me?
Saint Louis MO
Minneapolis MN
Milwaukee WI
Cleveland OH
Cincinnati OH
Pittsburgh PA
Thanks a lot!
Out of the cities on your list, Pittsburgh has the highest mass transit utilization. 2015 commuting totals by mass transit (city limits)
Pittsburgh: 17.0% (65% by car)
Minneapolis: 13.1% (69.6% by car)
Cleveland: 10.3% (79.9% by car)
St. Louis: 9.4% (80.9% by car)
Milwaukee: 8.6% (81.6% by car)
Cincinnati: 7.8% (72% by car)
Mind you, cities with more suburban-style neighborhoods within city limits will tend to come across worse in this manner, and Pittsburgh's East End essentially being a giant college town within the city certainly helps. But Pittsburgh has, for a city of its size, a very well utilized transit system.
That doesn't mean the transit system is perfect of course. With the exception of a downtown subway which links to light rail in the South Hills, a couple of BRT lines, and the inclines on Mount Washington, Pittsburgh relies on surface bus routes. These do tend to be widely used by people of all income levels however, unlike some cities where only the poor use buses. Still, if you live anywhere in the city, you can get a bus to downtown, and if you live anywhere in the East End, you can get a bus to Oakland (the main university hub). I think having a bike helps too, although the city's biking infrastructure is still in development.
While I have owned a car while living here, in the 12 years since I moved here I have never driven to work once (I work downtown) I either take the bus in bad weather, or I ride my bike when the weather is nice. I'll admit that I don't really use the bus much for off-peak travel, but you don't absolutely need a car for things like socialization and random shopping trips if you live in a walkable area, are okay with off-peak schedules being infrequent, and supplement your transportation with biking and rideshare.
I don't have a car living in Chicago and it is quite easy, but I would definitely buy a car if I moved to one of the cities on your list. I grew up in St. Louis and there's no way to live there without a car unless you are practically a shut in.
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