Liberal yes. Walkable yes, depending on the neighborhood. Public transit is ok. Buses that go downtown and the Amtrak/MBTA commuter rail is the public transit system. You can get downtown easily and to Boston, New York, and the airport fairly easily. If you need to get to other parts of RI, that’s not always so easy. The neighborhoods close to downtown are super walkable. I have a car I need for work. If I didn’t need it for work, I’d get rid of it.

If walkability is important to you, I’d stay as close to downtown as possible. There are newer complexes downtown and just outside of downtown. The east side is walkable but it’s the most expensive neighborhood in the city. I live in the Federal Hill neighborhood. Walking distance to downtown with a lot of restaurants. It’s getting pricey and it’s a little loud. One area on the upswing that borders downtown is the Kinsley Ave area. They are renovating a lot of old industrial buildings over there. Some loft type developments and they do an indoor farmers market. That’s the only area of Providence that reminds me even slightly of Austin.

Tuesdays I think still at Ogies Trailer Park

Gas heat and HW has been costing me $200 a month this winter so far for about 1100sq ft. It has gone up, but I don’t feel it’s gone up as much as some people might describe. If you’re moving from a southern state, Providence is gonna seem very expensive to you. If you’re already in a northeast city, it’s relatively inexpensive.