Philly without a car (rent, how much, neighborhood)

[MartinF]

I am moving to Philly soon. I can get to work in Delaware via SEPTA trains. BUT I need to know what part of Philly I can live in without a car. And if I can live in some parts without a car, how much rent would i be looking at? Studio is what I'd need.

[AbdiKony]

Just live anywhere near the subway lines that can get you to center city in a reasonable amount of time. That's probably the only way to have a reasonable commute to delaware since it takes 1+ hours on the train

[MartinF]

Originally Posted by AbdiKony

Just live anywhere near the subway lines that can get you to center city in a reasonable amount of time. That's probably the only way to have a reasonable commute to delaware since it takes 1+ hours on the train

The part of Delaware that I need to commute to takes around 20-45 minutes depending what train I use. My worry is not about getting to Delaware. It's about trying to live my life nicely in Philly without a car.

[kidphilly]

What kind of area do you want to live in, also what kind of rent are you willing to pay

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by MartinF

The part of Delaware that I need to commute to takes around 20-45 minutes depending what train I use. My worry is not about getting to Delaware. It's about trying to live my life nicely in Philly without a car.

I sold my car almost a year ago. Don't miss it at all. Luckily I can walk or take septa to most things I need to do.

[KansastoSouthphilly]

Yes you can live in Philly comfortably without a car. I did it for six+ years when I lived in south philly and never had any issues. I agree that it is best to live by the BSL or the MFL if possible. I live in East Mt. Airy now and own a car again though I could probably get by ok without it though I think it would be significantly more difficult out here. Just be strategic about where you live and you should be fine.


It is hard to recommend a specific neighborhood without knowing your budget and how much space you want. There are walkable areas in some of the most and least desirable parts of the city.

[1ondoner]

I'm yet to figure out why anyone would not want to have a car, if one can afford a car. Actually, the more cars one can afford, the better. I believe in having more than one car for the same reason as having more than one pair of shoes. A car is a utility.

A car allows one to do more with their time. It's more of a necessity than a convenience. Not having a car limits one to where they can live and where they can go.

I can understand those living and working in Center City not having a car but not someone who has to commute from the city. I have colleagues who don't have cars (because they don't want to own a car!) and they are always rushing out in the evening to catch the train. I can assume it's the same when they are coming to work. And when the weather sucks, they need a ride to the train station, which means they are inconveniencing their colleagues.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by 1ondoner

I'm yet to figure out why anyone would not want to have a car, if one can afford a car. Actually, the more cars one can afford, the better. I believe in having more than one car for the same reason as having more than one pair of shoes. A car is a utility.

A car allows one to do more with their time. It's more of a necessity than a convenience. Not having a car limits one to where they can live and where they can go.

I can understand those living and working in Center City not having a car but not someone who has to commute from the city. I have colleagues who don't have cars (because they don't want to own a car!) and they are always rushing out in the evening to catch the train. I can assume it's the same when they are coming to work. And when the weather sucks, they need a ride to the train station, which means they are inconveniencing their colleagues.

For suburbanites it can be very different, obviously. I grew up in a car culture, in suburbia, and got my license just as soon as I could when I was 16.

Other than living in the a part of the city where all I need is a short walk or septa ride away, I gave up my car before someone felt it necessary to tell me, because of aging, that I needed to stop driving. It's a big issue for some seniors. I made the decision(to stop driving) before someone else got involved. The money I was spending on garage parking, gas and maintenance is also a plus for me.

I drove for 50 years. That's more than enough.

[asiandudeyo]

I live in Philly and the last time I used my car was 2 years ago.
I live in Center City.
It is much more convenient to walk, take bus / train to go everywhere.
I think most of people who live in Center City has ditched cars long time ago.

Even if you live close (i.e. walkable) to the SEPTA regional rail station in the burb, you can survive.
If you don't have car(s) you can always get a zipcar membership which charge you using their cars by hour. It is more convenient that way.
For a plus, I am healthier now.

When I first moved from Miami 5 years ago, my cholesterol (the bad cholesterol level) was high. Sometimes I had a tingle on my left thigh. Those cuban sandwich I ate all the time down there did not help.
Anyway five years later, the cholesterol level had gone down to a normal level. The tingling sensation is gone.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by asiandudeyo

I live in Philly and the last time I used my car was 2 years ago.
I live in Center City.
It is much more convenient to walk, take bus / train to go everywhere.
I think most of people who live in Center City has ditched cars long time ago.

Even if you live close (i.e. walkable) to the SEPTA regional rail station in the burb, you can survive.
If you don't have car you can always get a zipcar membership which charge you using the car by hour. It is more convenient that way.

Bingo.

Once I retired, I found out pretty quickly how little I actually needed my car.