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The 10 Best U.S. Cities for Getting Around Without a Car

Plus: Tips for Insurance If You Drive Less

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By Susan Meyer
Updated October 16, 2025
Edited By Beth Swanson
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Susan Meyer

Senior Editorial Manager

Susan is a licensed insurance agent and has worked as a writer and editor for over 10 years across a number of industries. She has worked at The Zebr…

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  • Licensed Insurance Agent — Property and Casualty
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Beth Swanson

Insurance Analyst

Beth joined The Zebra in 2022 as an Associate Content Strategist. A licensed insurance agent, she specializes in creating clear, accessible content t…

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  • Licensed Insurance Agent — Property and Casualty
  • Associate in Insurance
  • Professional Risk Consultant
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  1. 10 Best Car-Free Cities
  2. 10 Worst Car-Free Cities
  3. Insurance for a Car-Light Lifestyle
  4. Methodology

The Recipe for a Car-Free Lifestyle

Going car-free in your life can bring a number of benefits, including better physical health, decreased gas costs and a lower impact on the environment. In fact, 10% of American adults either don't drive at all or rarely drive.[1] That number jumps to 18% when only considering adults living in urban areas.

But there are a number of factors that impact how convenient it is to get around without a car in any given city. To find the best U.S. cities for going car-free, we looked at four sets of data:

  • Walk Score: A higher Walk Score means it's easier to get around the city on foot.
  • Transit Score: This score ranks public transportation accessibility. 
  • Bike Score: A high Bike Score means it's easy to take care of daily errands on a bike, while a lower score means there's not a lot of city-wide biking infrastructure available.
  • Annual Precipitation (in inches): The more precipitation throughout the year, the more difficult it is to navigate a city, whether you're walking, biking, or taking public transportation. 

Ready to find the best American cities for car-free or car-light living? Here are the top 10 locations, followed by a round-up of the 10 worst cities for getting around without a car. Plus, if you're driving less, we've got some tips to help you save on auto insurance. 

#1: San Francisco, California

San Francisco is a well-rounded location for all three types of car-free living, including strong scores for walking, biking and taking public transportation. On top of that, San Francisco sees less than 28 inches of precipitation each year, making it a pleasant experience to navigate the city without a vehicle.

San Fransisco by the Numbers

  • Walk Score: 89/100
  • Transit Score: 77/100
  • Bike Score: 72/100
  • Annual Precipitation: 27.94 inches

#2: Washington, DC

Washington, D.C. ranks in first place across the board for walk, transit, and bike scores. Why doesn't it beat out San Francisco for the top spot on our list? The nation's capital sees nearly 43 inches of rain each year, placing it in the bottom half for that category.

DC by the Numbers

  • Walk Score: 98/100
  • Transit Score: 100/100
  • Bike Score: 92/100
  • Annual Precipitation: 42.82 inches

#3: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis makes our list largely because of the city's Bike Score. With 83 points, it's the second-best city on our list for biking. Walkability and public transit scored just outside the top 10 in each category, and precipitation totals nearly 24 inches each year.

Minneapolis by the Numbers

  • Walk Score: 71/100
  • Transit Score: 55/100
  • Bike Score: 83/100
  • Annual Precipitation: 23.76 inches

#4: Chicago, Illinois

Chicago is another city that's easy to navigate without a car. Its Walk Score ranks in seventh place and its Bike Score comes in sixth. Public transit also scores well thanks to Chicago's extensive system of L trains and buses. Precipitation totals just under 35 inches per year, much of which is snow in the winter.

Chicago by the Numbers

  • Walk Score: 77/100
  • Transit Score: 65/100
  • Bike Score: 72/100
  • Annual Precipitation: 34.72 inches

#5: Boston, Massachusetts

Going car-free in Boston is fairly effortless, thanks to some of the highest scores for biking, walking and transit. The city's public transportation ranks fifth, while its Bike Score ranks eleventh. The city experiences just under 42 inches of precipitation each year, which is high compared to many other cities on our list.

Boston by the numbers

  • Walk Score: 83/100
  • Transit Score: 72/100
  • Bike Score: 69/100
  • Annual Precipitation: 41.9 inches

#6: Nashville, Tennessee

Put on your boots and get ready to explore the streets of Nashville; the capital of country music has the best Walk Score out of all 50 cities we ranked (along with DC). It also scored well for both public transportation and bikeability. The downside? Expect over 50 inches of rain each year in Nashville.

Nashville by the Numbers

  • Walk Score: 98/100
  • Transit Score: 75/100
  • Bike Score: 72/100
  • Annual Precipitation: 50.48 inches

#7: Denver, Colorado (tied)

Denver ties for seventh with two other cities on our list, thanks to two outstanding factors: its high Bike Score and low precipitation levels throughout the year. Both categories rank in sixth place overall on our list. The drawback of going carless in Denver is that it's more difficult to get around by walking or by public transportation.

Denver by the Numbers

  • Walk Score: 61/100
  • Transit Score: 45/100
  • Bike Score: 72/100
  • Annual Precipitation: 13.92 inches

#7: Los Angeles, California (tied)

Los Angeles is known for its heavy traffic, making a car-free lifestyle even more appealing. It's easier if you prefer walking or taking public transit. But even L.A.'s biking score ranks above average compared to other cities on our list. The other positive part of getting around without a car is that there's very little precipitation throughout the year — less than 17 inches.

LA by the Numbers

  • Walk Score: 69/100
  • Transit Score: 53/100
  • Bike Score: 59/100
  • Annual Precipitation: 16.39 inches

#7: New York, New York (tied)

Perhaps unsurprisingly, New York makes our list due to its walkability and highly-rated public transportation systems in the nation. Its Bike Score is eclipsed by ten other cities, and precipitation levels are above average at just over 45 inches per year.

NYC by the Numbers

  • Walk Score: 88/100
  • Transit Score: 89/100
  • Bike Score: 69/100
  • Annual Precipitation: 45.02 inches

#10: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Our final spot goes to Philadelphia, which comes in with one of the highest-ranked transit systems. On top of that, the city has above-average scores for walking and biking. Precipitation levels, however, are on the high side at over 41 inches per year.

Philadelphia by the Numbers

  • Walk Score: 75/100
  • Transit Score: 67/100
  • Bike Score: 67/100
  • Annual Precipitation: 41.44 inches

The 10 Worst U.S. Cities for Car-Free Living

Wondering where it's hardest to get around without a car? Here are the 10 cities that ranked worst on our list. 

  1. Birmingham, Alabama
  2. Jacksonville, Florida
  3. Memphis, Tennessee
  4. Charlotte, North Carolina
  5. Raleigh, North Carolina
  6. Virginia Beach, Virginia
  7. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  8. Indianapolis, Indiana
  9. Kansas City, Missouri
  10. Columbus, Ohio

Insurance Tips for a Car-Light Lifestyle

If you live in a city where it's easier to bike, walk or take public transportation, you might still need or want to own a car. However, by replacing your commute or some of your everyday driving with alternative means, you might find you're driving less. 

If so, you might want to consider these options that are ideal for low-mileage drivers. 

Low-Mileage Discounts

Many car insurance companies provide discounts for low-mileage drivers. Compare companies to find the best rates for your average annual mileage.

Usage-Based Insurance

Also called telematics, usage-based insurance tracks how much and how you drive to price your rates.

Pay-Per-Mile

Pay-per-mile insurance can be the cheapest option for consistently low-mileage drivers (less than 10K miles a year)

Overall, biking, walking and taking public transit for your daily commute or errands can have great environmental and health benefits. If you live in a city where these options are possible, it can be wonderful to take advantage of them. However, if you still keep the car for rainy days or longer adventures, it's great to compare auto insurance options to see if you can save. 

Methodology

The Zebra used four data points to analyze the top 50 MSAs by population related to car-free living. 

  • Walk Score, Bike Score, and Transit Score[2]
  • Precipitation Averages[3]
Sources

  1. 1 in 10 Americans rarely or never drive a car. [Pew Research]

  2. Walk Score Data. [Walk Score]

  3. Percipitation. [National Center for Environmental Information]