Cities or towns where you don't need a car

C

Candi1

Member
I currently live in NYC and am researching areas to retire that are walkable to supermarkets, pharmacies, public libraries, etc. I don't drive, never had, and it seems most affordable cities, towns outside of New York are car dependent. Any suggestions out there?
 

Welcome to our forum, Candi!

I have lived without a car for six years now. I live in an apartment downtown in a small city and I can walk to many different places. The grocery stores are out of my ability to walk that far. I use a walker and/or a mobility chair if I need to get to one. Or take the bus. I think if you research the city or town you want to move to you could probably find many don't need a car. I have lived over the years in several where I did not have to drive. Plus now I have a choice of stores that deliver right to my apartment door. Good Luck!
 
I used to live in Rego Park, Queens, NYC. The only place that's going to meet your criteria is NYC, or a carbon copy of NYC. It'll definitely be a well developed urban area. If you're thinking of moving to a Mayberry like town, without transportation, you'll be marooned. The further you get into the sticks, the further you will be from services. Those grocery delivery services, etc., may not be available in your area. They aren't in mine. And Uber, taxies can be $100+ per ride.
 
London... or any city or large town in the UK. In fact , because if we do nothing else right in this country we do have a fantastic public transport network.. Tubes (subway), buses, trains..cycle routes.. ..anyone who lives in any city in the Uk doesn't need a car unless they need to get somewhere pretty inaccessible by public transport...

I'm being facetious because I know you mean the USA..
 
Small towns used to be far more viable. Sadly many of their few remaining local businesses are hanging by a thread. Large consolidated national chains have pretty much wiped them out and those chains have little interest in operating a small town presence where profit margins are too low to satisfy Wall Street.
 
dilettante said:
Small towns used to be far more viable. Sadly many of their few remaining local businesses are hanging by a thread. Large consolidated national chains have pretty much wiped them out and those chains have little interest in operating a small town presence where profit margins are too low to satisfy Wall Street.
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worse than that even. My nearest town is a small market town which had many thriving businesses.. been there literally for hundreds of years many of them.. and then they lost out as your description..to the bigger chains out of town... but some still hung on... and now after all the struggles to stay afloat and take on the big chains.. they've lost the fight to Amazon et al... ..online shopping have won.. and now most of those shops have closed and have become ''Turkish Barbers'.. Charity shops.. Beauty & Nail Salons... restaurants & take-way places.. the only shops which have survived in my little market town are the newsagents..& Pharmacies
 
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hollydolly said:
London... or any city or large town in the UK. In fact , because if we do nothing else right in this country we do have a fantastic public transport network.. Tubes (subway), buses, trains..cycle routes.. ..anyone who lives in any city in the Uk doesn't need a car unless they need to get somewhere pretty inaccessible by public transport...

I'm being facetious because I know you mean the USA..
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I would love to relocate and retire to England (not necessarily London though) but I understand it is almost impossible, as an American citizen with no ties to England, to be allowed to permanently take up residence there.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
I used to live in Rego Park, Queens, NYC. The only place that's going to meet your criteria is NYC, or a carbon copy of NYC. It'll definitely be a well developed urban area. If you're thinking of moving to a Mayberry like town, without transportation, you'll be marooned. The further you get into the sticks, the further you will be from services. Those grocery delivery services, etc., may not be available in your area. They aren't in mine. And Uber, taxies can be $100+ per ride.
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I've already decided that I'm going to stay in New York. I was looking into Lancaster, Pa. because the downtown area seemed walkable but I was told that aside from one or two small convenience stores, the big supermarkets and pharmacies all require a car to reach.
 
Candi1 said:
I would love to relocate and retire to England (not necessarily London though) but I understand it is almost impossible, as an American citizen with no ties to England, to be allowed to permanently take up residence there.
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this is the problem we have going to the opposite..to the USA..and it's very annoying when we see all the immigrants illegal and legal being allowed to come here ... thousands of them being you men on their own with no jobs to go to.. very annoying and frustrating....

Tell them you're coming to live with your long lost cousin Holly...:D
 
Candi1 said:
I've already decided that I'm going to stay in New York. I was looking into Lancaster, Pa. because the downtown area seemed walkable but I was told that aside from one or two small convenience stores, the big supermarkets and pharmacies all require a car to reach.
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I've seen Lancaster PA on tv while watching the Amish reality shows...it's a Huge Amish community...
 
hollydolly said:
I've seen Lancaster PA on tv while watching the Amish reality shows...it's a Huge Amish community...
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I'm fascinated by the Amish and their way of living. I don't think too many Amish live in the City of Lancaster though. I think they're more in the rural parts of Lancaster.
 
hollydolly said:
this is the problem we have going to the opposite..to the USA..and it's very annoying when we see all the immigrants illegal and legal being allowed to come here ... thousands of them being you men on their own with no jobs to go to.. very annoying and frustrating....

Tell them you're coming to live with your long lost cousin Holly...:D
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That is a huge problems in the U.S., and especially in New York (where I live). Thousands of illegal immigrants are rushing in each and every day We're becoming a third world country.
 
Candi1 said:
That is a huge problems in the U.S., and especially in New York (where I live). Thousands of illegal immigrants are rushing in each and every day We're becoming a third world country.
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I know.. and it's Massive here too in the last few years.. to the point that infrastructure is now collapsing.. so why is it they're allowed to come mob handed.. yet mrs Jones age 70 can't go and live with her daughter and son-in-law in Australia... and mr Jones aged 65 retired can't go and live in the USA... I wish I knew..

I wanted to move to New Zealand.. they want me to arrive in the country as a retired person with a minimum of Ā£600k.. and then an income of a least Ā£30k... Canada very similar. I don't understand. if as retirees we can afford to buy a home in our chosen country and pay for private medical Insurance what does it matter how much money we have ?

yet..I can buy a house in any country in Europe where they don't speak English with no such restraints.. and I have... so it makes no sense that as an English speaking native..especially one might say from the mother country... cannot retire to another English speaking country due to age or financial restraints.. I wish someone would explain it to me..
 
We're seeing some small towns hanging on by a thread by welcoming specialized gentrified tourism destination businesses. Things like converting old railway stations to privately-owned museums, pricy shops selling "crystals" and related paraphernalia (sage bundles, wands), antique shops, brewpubs, and lots of other things the locals themselves don't frequent or need. It helps the local tax base a little, provides a few jobs, and brings in a few well-off shopkeepers who occupy higher-end homes. It can also bring a little traffic into local restaurants, fast food houses, and gas stations.

Since they cater to day-trippers there isn't any overnight accommodation trade though some will have a small B&B if there is something else there like outdoor recreation or a theater.
 
Candi1 said:
And San Francisco is the second most expensive city to live in in the U.S. (second only I believe to be Hawaii). Plus the crime in San Francisco is even worse than here in N.Y. I've been to San Francisco twice and it used to be a beautiful city.....not so any more.
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It seems like these days no matter what city you live in, your taking a chance going to the super market.
 
The small Long Island town where I grew up seemed to have everything within a few blocks on Main Street. Banks, clothing and shoe stores, markets, diners, drug stores, doctors, etc. and there was bus service to the neighboring towns.
The last time I was there, a dozen or so years ago, it looked pretty much the same.
 
Start by looking at the city chart on this web page:

https://www.governing.com/archive/car-ownership-numbers-of-vehicles-by-city-map.html

Those with high numbers of people without vehicles will have more public transportation.

The below link has a rating listing for public transportation of larger cities that also includes average market rental prices:

https://www.redfin.com/blog/us-cities-with-the-best-public-transportation/

The chart shows Philadelphia has both great transportation and lower cost rentals. In any case, any senior planning to live in a city via public transportation may find desirable, safe, walkable, residential rentals are also expensive despite average market rental prices.

I visit San Francisco frequently. News media descriptions of crime in the city usually fail to mention there are plenty of sections of that city that are relatively safe and that crime ridden areas tend to be concentrated in some downtown, tourist, and historically poor areas. That noted, it is also true that residential rentals have also become expensive over the last 2 decades since it is such an exceptionally desirable place to live...if one can afford it.
 
Alizerine said:
The small Long Island town where I grew up seemed to have everything within a few blocks on Main Street. Banks, clothing and shoe stores, markets, diners, drug stores, doctors, etc. and there was bus service to the neighboring towns.
The last time I was there, a dozen or so years ago, it looked pretty much the same.
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What is the name of the small town you grew up in. It sounds lovely.
 
The only American place I have lived in (or near) that doesn't require a car is New York City. In fact, a car is a problem and a nuisance there, and there is public transportation all over the city. Unfortunately, nearly all cities and towns in America seem to have the assumption that everyone drives a car. Fortunately, I do, but I see the struggles caused for others who do not. Many people have to stop driving eventually because of failing eyesight and other physical problems. Uber seems to work fine, but it's very expensive. I am always offering rides to some of these people, as otherwise they would rarely leave their homes.
 

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