Good place to live if you don’t drive?

Submitted by raerod13 t3_10zp2dx in CambridgeMA

My husband is considering a job in MA and we are only considering living in walkable cities as I don’t drive (long story, won’t go into detail). Previously, I lived in NYC, but while NYC is great for my job prospects (graphic designer) it’s not great for his (he’ll need to work in a lab, almost all of which are located outside of cities).

My husband will have a car available to him, but I’d like to live somewhere where I can be fairly, safely, and comfortably autonomous without having to rely on a car for basic needs like going to the doctor, the post office, grabbing food, coffee, making friends, beauty services, etc. I’ve worked remotely for the past few years but it’s been a very isolating experience, so I’d also love to be able to work in person in Boston.

For those of you who know the area, does this sound possible? Are there any specific areas you’d recommend living? Any surrounding areas you’d recommend? What do you think about local transit? TIA

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book81able t1_j84c8m7 wrote

For someone who doesn’t drive and is married to a lab worker there’s really nothing better in North America then Cambridge.

Transit is not to the level of New York but it is reliable enough if you live near a T line. Busses are being worked on but only the busiest lines are reliable.

Walkability is very high within the Boston-Cambridge-Somerville area. I’ve lived here with no car for 6 years and although it makes mobility out of the city hard, within the city it’s never truly been an issue. Cambridge itself is considered the most walkable city in the US, and living here you can see why. The layout first built in the 1600s is still here.

Not to mention basically every new development here is a life-sciences lab, so work should be easy for your husband if he’s in biology/pharmaceuticals.

(Sorry for posting the same comment 4 times, Reddit glitched)

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unresolved_m t1_j84ub9r wrote

I also enjoyed public transportation in Malden. Ton of buses + subway.

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FormerlySalve_Lilac t1_j8496qt wrote

Cambridge is super doable if you don't drive! Between pedestrian friendly streets, bike lanes, the subway and the bus system you can get just about anywhere in the city. Personally, I'm biased and recommend East Cambridge, but there's tons of walkable neighborhoods and there's tons of labs in the Kendall area which is easy to get to. Just make sure you're looking at subway and bus stops when looking for places to live because there are a few areas in west Cambridge that are a bit more car dependent.

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unresolved_m t1_j844zc8 wrote

Cambridge is super walkable - the only thing I don't like is how narrow streets are.

Transit is mostly fine, as long as its not rush hour or you're not trying to get somewhere in Western Mass

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despreston t1_j859j0i wrote

Ironically, narrow streets play a role in making cities more walkable.

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unresolved_m t1_j859o3c wrote

How so? I'm not a big fan of large crowds and narrow streets rarely help to avoid those.

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Hophinsky t1_j85e96c wrote

Someone downvoted you because redditors have statistically shit reading comprehension. Asking for an explanation is not a disagreement.

Few things are good about thin streets. They're easy for pedestrians to cross, they don't allow large amounts of car traffic, and they naturally slow down drivers who don't have the same visibility as wide open roads. They also allow denser construction so your doctor's office may be more streets away but it's a shorter walking distance.

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poop_harder_please t1_j86cze5 wrote

Also! If the road is being retrofitted as a narrower road, it often means that more space is being made for pedestrians and cyclists :)

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gradthrow59 t1_j88kiue wrote

To put it simply, narrow streets are more inconvenient for cars and increase the density of housing, shops, restaurants etc. More density means less distance to travel for essential goods and services. When planning a "walkable" city, the goal is not to avoid large crowds of pedestrians.

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unresolved_m t1_j88lim1 wrote

I guess its a matter of preference, but this might part of the reason why I'm not comfortable with NYC. Way too many people on the streets.

I like big crowds in certain settings, but not others.

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gradthrow59 t1_j88v28g wrote

I think you're conflating "what do I like" with "what elements of urban planning promote pedestrianism vs. car use".

These are basically irrefutable principles of building a walkable city. The only alternative is to essentially build large thoroughfares but not allow cars to use them. This is really great, and of course everyone would love it, but it's also a terrible optimization of land use and that space is incredibly valuable.

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unresolved_m t1_j88v4mj wrote

You think everyone likes narrow streets?

Are you a city planning professional yourself? If not, you're offering your opinion, much like I do.

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gradthrow59 t1_j88vchl wrote

No one likes narrow streets, and I never said they did. OP (and I) are telling you that narrow streets increase a cities walkability. This is why, as I said before, you are conflating two concepts.

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kobeyashidog t1_j8481v3 wrote

Cambridge, the north end, back bay, Somerville

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viewAskewser t1_j875czw wrote

Allston and Brookline are great, too. The commute to Cambridge could be a bit longer though.

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kobeyashidog t1_j877bkf wrote

Yes agree. Soooo many restaurants and night activities like that too, likely more economical in some areas as well, compared to Camb or Boston

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nattarbox t1_j84lmpy wrote

Moved here in 2003, haven’t owned a car since. Neither has my wife.

Zipcar is great for occasional errands/weekend trips, otherwise shoes/bikes/transit cover everything.

People complain about the transit, typical underfunded transit agenc issues that should be familiar from NYC. But if you're not relying on it for daily commuting, you won't notice most of the stuff people gripe about. It's a good system that covers the whole city.

Neighborhoods are orientated around the squares (central, harvard, porter, etc) and each has a subway stop. Finding one that meets your needs and you like the vibe of is a good way to narrow down where you might want to live, look at surrounding neighborhoods.

Some other fun stuff you can do without a car from Boston:

  • go back to NYC obviously
  • take a ferry to provincetown, the tip of cape cod
  • take a train or bus up to portland me, which is also mostly walkable

I work here as a graphic designer too, there's plenty of good jobs available.

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raerod13 OP t1_j85hsnx wrote

Thanks so much for your perspective! This is super helpful. Relieved to hear that I’d be able to go back to NYC without a car (was trying to look into this earlier) and that there’s good jobs around. I was laid off last week so I’ll be on the hunt soon.

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charlottespider t1_j85vkv5 wrote

The train is super affordable and easy. I travel back and forth all the time.

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drkr731 t1_j84lvn0 wrote

Cambridge is incredibly walkable - my household only has one car which I personally do not use. It checks every box for a “15 minute city” - you’ll always be in walking distance of a grocery, restaurants, shopping and local businesses, etc. You’d likely be happy in any part of Cambridge, but I’d say the areas around central square, harvard sq, inman square, and porter square train stations feel the most convenient and walkable to me personally

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this_moi t1_j85ryj0 wrote

Agreed, and with the new Green Line extension, I'd add Union Square as well!

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raerod13 OP t1_j85h4ly wrote

This is great to hear! Thanks for the info!

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vt2022cam t1_j84ero0 wrote

Definitely Cambridge and Somerville. You can live without a car and he probably won’t use one either since there are lot of lab based jobs in the city.

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zepporamone t1_j84r805 wrote

Cambridge/Somerville is exceedingly walkable. My partner noted recently that she has only actually used our car once (while grabbing stuff from work when the pandemic started) since her office relocated from Newton about 8 years ago.

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Interesting_Grape815 t1_j857ihl wrote

The neighborhoods listed below are the best areas to live in Cambridge, with everything you need within a short walk or train ride away.

Porter square

East Cambridge/Cambridge street: lots of restaurants, businesses, green line access to Boston, 69 bus can take you to Harvard sq if needed.

Harvard sq/mid Cambridge

Central sq/riverside: short walk to post office

Fresh pond/alewife: its doable but can be harder to walk because of the bridge leading to route 2.

I would avoid living West Cambridge since it’s the least walkable part of the city, and not close to a subway line.

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FormerlySalve_Lilac t1_j8494ek wrote

Cambridge is super doable if you don't drive! Between pedestrian friendly streets, bike lanes, the subway and the bus system you can get just about anywhere in the city. Personally, I'm biased and recommend East Cambridge, but there's tons of walkable neighborhoods and there's tons of labs in the Kendall area which is easy to get to. Just make sure you're looking at subway and bus stops when looking for places to live because there are a few areas in west Cambridge that are a bit more car dependent.

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chickpeahummus t1_j84abem wrote

Take a look at the T map and Google a few destinations and the times. Coffee shops are everywhere and so are groceries. The north end of Boston is more dense with good restaurants and more central to all of the T lines. Being along or close to one of the lines will make trips easier. If you want to spend more time in Boston, note that to get to the green line you have to transfer if you’re closer to the red line in Cambridge. The green line recently expanded more north so make sure you have an updated map.

If you look at crime statistics, this is one of the safest cities to live in. Lots of people walk around at night safely but still check the crime maps for your specific area.

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raerod13 OP t1_j85gx9c wrote

That’s a great idea actually, will definitely do that. Thanks for all the info!

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bubblewrappopper t1_j86meki wrote

Good lord, do not take a car to the north end. Worst place to have a car in the city.

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smashey t1_j84hel2 wrote

You should be good in most areas of Cambridge, Boston and Somerville. Outside of that I'd want a car.

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jpaeng t1_j84nzsr wrote

I specifically moved to Cambridge for it’s walkability! (And because I can’t afford NYC for a few more years)

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sowtime444 t1_j84pwwb wrote

Cambridgeport is great for walkability to the Trader Joes and Whole Foods in that area. Can also walk up to Central Square to catch the subway or go to a restaurant, post office, etc.

Friends that are carless in Somerville just use Zipcar whenever they need a car, which is rare. They are big bicycle advocates.

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dskippy t1_j84v4g7 wrote

There are loads of walkable areas in and around Boston. Your posting to Cambridge and basically all of Cambridge is walkable and has access to public transit. The same is true of Boston and Somerville. Notice I say most. There are some little alcoves I don't think are great for car free life. But seriously you'd be hard pressed to find a spot in any of those three towns that are more than a mile from public transit and day to day resources.

I would check out "walk score" for any neighborhoods that come up as interesting to you.

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raerod13 OP t1_j85gf6n wrote

Thank you for the tip and insight!

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this_moi t1_j84u24x wrote

You will be 100000% fine and happy living in Cambridge. My husband doesn't drive at all and we don't own a car; we've lived here for 10 years and about 7 jobs between us and have been just fine. You can do everything you listed and more without a car.

That said! It's nice that your household has a car, because you can explore a little more without being limited to transit, it's nice to get outside of the city sometimes, and it's helpful for grocery runs etc. I rent a car occasionally for errands, to visit friends who live in the 'burbs, etc.

If you look for in-person work your job search will be slightly limited by needing to be accessible to you by transit in a reasonable amount of time... but doesn't everybody limit their job search based on commute? To me that isn't that big a deal.

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jeremiadOtiose t1_j84vbep wrote

Have youe ver been to Cambridge? maybe you should visit to get a feel for it before making such a drastic life decision. You can live anywhere in Boston proper or Cambridge,a nd many of the suburbs without a car.

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raerod13 OP t1_j85g9ja wrote

I haven’t and that’s a very good point. I’ve been meaning to suggest this. Would probably ease a lot of anxiety.

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jeremiadOtiose t1_j85nodh wrote

it's an incredibly small town that is easily walkable. feels very european, too. not sure where you lived in nyc, but think cobble hill in brooklyn.

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vt2022cam t1_j84essx wrote

Definitely Cambridge and Somerville. You can live without a car and he probably won’t use one either since there are lot of lab based jobs in the city.

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roshni-b t1_j84t7hz wrote

Absolutely love Cambridge, MA!

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ADarwinAward t1_j85bowt wrote

I lived in Cambridge for 6 years without a car, it’s absolutely doable. I have lived in several spots in Cambridge and also in Arlington.

I’d say the closer you are to the city, the easier your commute is to most doctors offices and activities. In my experience, North Cambridge was like a suburb, very quiet, everyone seemed to have a car.

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Adventurous-Pop430 t1_j85ed3q wrote

Lived there my whole life and never felt the need to drive. As soon as I moved I had to get a vehicle. I feel like Boston and NYC and the only places you can go your whole life without a car.

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bubblewrappopper t1_j864tyy wrote

Also, if you find a place just over the border in any of the towns that border Cambridge, you'll have the best of both worlds in easy bus access and more parking options.

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MeekLocator t1_j84wsiz wrote

They are all right about Cambridge but it's expensive!

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raerod13 OP t1_j85ghoc wrote

I noticed that. I was surprised! The rent rivals a lot of areas in NYC right now.

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ceciltech t1_j87f738 wrote

Many people who can't quite swing Cambridge rents move to Somerville. Anywhere between Davis Sq and Union Sq is great. I live in the Spring Hill Neighborhood which is right between Davis and Union we have 4 T stops, 3 supermarkets, and countless restaurants, bars and cafes all within 1 mile. This area is dominated by tightly packed 2,3 and 4 family homes which is what has made Somerville one of the densest populated cities in the country. There is currently new lab space being planned/built in Davis and Union Sq.

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stunkindonuts t1_j85tzhu wrote

Cambridge is a good choice for this! I live near central square and have a car, but I have considered selling it as I honestly hardly use it these days except for leaving the city for hiking and such. Highly recommend this neighborhood for walkability!

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artificial_osler t1_j867bjh wrote

Anywhere on the red line near a grocery store would be great as most lab jobs are between MGH and Harvard stops and on the red line. Central, Porter, Harvard areas are all solid options. I’d add some of the spots in Dorchester as well if you want more bang for your buck

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saltyeyed t1_j86mjbg wrote

I live in Cambridge and don't drive (or have a license). Anywhere that you live that is close to T stop will work.

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Guava-Duck8672 t1_j86x1te wrote

Watertown has a surprisingly easy commute to Cambridge via transit. There’s no T but there’s a bunch of bus lines that run frequently including express buses to downtown

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EmotionalFruit6 t1_j89fb06 wrote

My GF and I are a one car household living in Porter Square in Cambridge and its great! Post office, bars / restaurants, the T, and most shopping needs all within walking distance. Highly recommend.

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lyzyrdgyzyrd t1_j959358 wrote

If you live in Cambridge and also work there or in the city, a car is more of a hassle/liability than an asset.

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