Ditch Your Car: Here’s How Much It Costs To Live in the Top 50 Walkable Cities

Between fuel, repairs, maintenance, licensing, registration, insurance, initial purchase prices and monthly payments, the costs of owning a car can add up quickly. They also make walking or other forms of transportation a lot more attractive.

Car ownership costs topped $1,000 a month on average in 2023, according to AAA’s annual “Your Driving Costs” study. Based on AAA’s calculations, the average costs of owning and operating a new car came in at $12,182 last year. That’s nearly $1,500 more than the 2022 figure.

Of course, you could try driving less or cutting costs in other ways, but the way to save the most on car expenses is to not have a car. For those looking to take that plunge while living in a large city, walkability is a key factor to consider. Ratings for public transit and bike-friendliness are also worth a look.

If you’re wondering how the nation’s most walkable major cities compare in terms of living costs, GOBankingRates has compiled a list based on information from WalkScore.com, Sperling’s Best Places, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Zillow and other sources. Our full methodology is included at the end of this story.

Here’s our list of the 50 most walkable major U.S. cities, in reverse order (lowest score on the list to the nation’s most walkable large city). Along with each city’s walkability score, we’ve also included the livability score, total population, household median income, the average value of a single-family home, and the average total cost of living per month.

• Walkability score: 45.0
• Livability score: 83
• Population: 213,164
• Household median income: $62,378
• Single-family home average value: $207,190
• Average total cost of living per month: $3,057

• Walkability score: 45.0
• Livability score: 58
• Population: 221,041
• Household median income: $61,323
• Single-family home average value: $494,539
• Average total cost of living per month: $4,988

• Walkability score: 45.6
• Livability score: 75
• Population: 276,103
• Household median income: $101,984
• Single-family home average value: $910,139
• Average total cost of living per month: $7,629

• Walkability score: 45.8
• Livability score: 81
• Population: 236,973
• Household median income: $60,998
• Single-family home average value: $299,407
• Average total cost of living per month: $3,698

• Walkability score: 46.0
• Livability score: 81
• Population: 1,300,642
• Household median income: $63,985
• Single-family home average value: $335,719
• Average total cost of living per month: $4,098

• Walkability score: 46.4
• Livability score: 66
• Population: 269,962
• Household median income: $45,405
• Single-family home average value: $122,088
• Average total cost of living per month: $2,543

• Walkability score: 46.6
• Livability score: 63
• Population: 541,528
• Household median income: $63,001
• Single-family home average value: $392,429
• Average total cost of living per month: $4,371

• Walkability score: 47.5
• Livability score: 74
• Population: 2,296,253
• Household median income: $60,440
• Single-family home average value: $277,482
• Average total cost of living per month: $3,727

• Walkability score: 47.7
• Livability score: 78
• Population: 494,838
• Household median income: $77,655
• Single-family home average value: $451,774
• Average total cost of living per month: $4,833

• Walkability score: 48.2
• Livability score: 83
• Population: 489,201
• Household median income: $70,202
• Single-family home average value: $287,428
• Average total cost of living per month: $3,688

• Walkability score: 49.0
• Livability score: 73
• Population: 523,600
• Household median income: $78,954
• Single-family home average value: $494,806
• Average total cost of living per month: $5,135

• Walkability score: 49.1
• Livability score: 80
• Population: 308,870
• Household median income: $49,191
• Single-family home average value: $248,973
• Average total cost of living per month: $3,389

• Walkability score: 49.2
• Livability score: 81
• Population: 227,922
• Household median income: $63,316
• Single-family home average value: $399,826
• Average total cost of living per month: $4,195

• Walkability score: 49.5
• Livability score: 80
• Population: 388,768
• Household median income: $66,802
• Single-family home average value: $402,743
• Average total cost of living per month: $4,491

• Walkability score: 49.7
• Livability score: 82
• Population: 268,516
• Household median income: $74,895
• Single-family home average value: $428,576
• Average total cost of living per month: $4,488

• Walkability score: 49.9
• Livability score: 83
• Population: 228,795
• Household median income: $169,023
• Single-family home average value: $1,691,318
• Average total cost of living per month: $12,405

• Walkability score: 50.5
• Livability score: 79
• Population: 1,001,176
• Household median income: $136,010
• Single-family home average value: $1,583,499
• Average total cost of living per month: $11,872

• Walkability score: 50.9
• Livability score: 84
• Population: 227,171
• Household median income: $59,606
• Single-family home average value: $362,088
• Average total cost of living per month: $4,080

• Walkability score: 51.1
• Livability score: 73
• Population: 636,787
• Household median income: $37,761
• Single-family home average value: $70,984
• Average total cost of living per month: $2,714

• Walkability score: 53.3
• Livability score: 75
• Population: 1,383,987
• Household median income: $98,657
• Single-family home average value: $1,164,577
• Average total cost of living per month: $9,109

• Walkability score: 55.7
• Livability score: 69
• Population: 347,111
• Household median income: $88,538
• Single-family home average value: $946,385
• Average total cost of living per month: $7,764

• Walkability score: 57.1
• Livability score: 72
• Population: 370,365
• Household median income: $37,271
• Single-family home average value: $108,704
• Average total cost of living per month: $2,474

• Walkability score: 58.0
• Livability score: 75
• Population: 380,408
• Household median income: $51,116
• Single-family home average value: $241,955
• Average total cost of living per month: $3,591

• Walkability score: 60.4
• Livability score: 80
• Population: 308,806
• Household median income: $69,919
• Single-family home average value: $298,403
• Average total cost of living per month: $3,749

• Walkability score: 60.7
• Livability score: 76
• Population: 210,992
• Household median income: $44,156
• Single-family home average value: $224,955
• Average total cost of living per month: $3,369

• Walkability score: 61.2
• Livability score: 72
• Population: 710,800
• Household median income: $85,853
• Single-family home average value: $624,148
• Average total cost of living per month: $5,777

• Walkability score: 61.5
• Livability score: 79
• Population: 573,299
• Household median income: $49,733
• Single-family home average value: $210,315
• Average total cost of living per month: $3,225

• Walkability score: 62.4
• Livability score: 84
• Population: 303,843
• Household median income: $60,187
• Single-family home average value: $239,303
• Average total cost of living per month: $3,443

• Walkability score: 64.3
• Livability score: 77
• Population: 584,548
• Household median income: $58,349
• Single-family home average value: $187,384
• Average total cost of living per month: $3,213

• Walkability score: 65.7
• Livability score: 74
• Population: 298,018
• Household median income: $52,941
• Single-family home average value: $180,367
• Average total cost of living per month: $2,995

• Walkability score: 65.7
• Livability score: NA
• Population: 348,547
• Household median income: $82,772
• Single-family home average value: $1,300,650
• Average total cost of living per month: $10,398

• Walkability score: 66.6
• Livability score: 79
• Population: 276,688
• Household median income: $46,184
• Single-family home average value: $227,847
• Average total cost of living per month: $3,447

• Walkability score: 67.1
• Livability score: 51
• Population: 311,379
• Household median income: $84,210
• Single-family home average value: $863,475
• Average total cost of living per month: $7,238

• Walkability score: 67.3
• Livability score: 78
• Population: 646,101
• Household median income: $85,876
• Single-family home average value: $572,188
• Average total cost of living per month: $5,517

• Walkability score: 67.9
• Livability score: 73
• Population: 222,996
• Household median income: $49,531
• Single-family home average value: $554,520
• Average total cost of living per month: $5,585

• Walkability score: 68.6
• Livability score: 67
• Population: 3,881,041
• Household median income: $76,244
• Single-family home average value: $1,036,868
• Average total cost of living per month: $8,536

• Walkability score: 71.2
• Livability score: 86
• Population: 235,845
• Household median income: $137,387
• Single-family home average value: $1,033,462
• Average total cost of living per month: $8,401

• Walkability score: 71.4
• Livability score: 78
• Population: 426,877
• Household median income: $76,332
• Single-family home average value: $345,471
• Average total cost of living per month: $4,037

• Walkability score: 73.3
• Livability score: 69
• Population: 462,293
• Household median income: $78,995
• Single-family home average value: $914,989
• Average total cost of living per month: $7,753

• Walkability score: 74.4
• Livability score: 75
• Population: 734,603
• Household median income: $116,068
• Single-family home average value: $974,785
• Average total cost of living per month: $7,938

• Walkability score: 74.8
• Livability score: 76
• Population: 1,593,208
• Household median income: $57,537
• Single-family home average value: $219,330
• Average total cost of living per month: $3,614

• Walkability score: 75.3
• Livability score: 71
• Population: 437,825
• Household median income: $94,389
• Single-family home average value: $883,451
• Average total cost of living per month: $7,566

• Walkability score: 75.9
• Livability score: 67
• Population: 307,355
• Household median income: $46,460
• Single-family home average value: $465,422
• Average total cost of living per month: $5,178

• Walkability score: 76.6
• Livability score: 81
• Population: 443,665
• Household median income: $54,858
• Single-family home average value: $640,456
• Average total cost of living per month: $6,116

• Walkability score: 76.7
• Livability score: 75
• Population: 670,587
• Household median income: $101,722
• Single-family home average value: $732,079
• Average total cost of living per month: $6,703

• Walkability score: 77.2
• Livability score: 78
• Population: 2,721,914
• Household median income: $71,673
• Single-family home average value: $309,435
• Average total cost of living per month: $4,006

• Walkability score: 82.8
• Livability score: 77
• Population: 665,945
• Household median income: $89,212
• Single-family home average value: $810,728
• Average total cost of living per month: $7,136

• Walkability score: 86.6
• Livability score: 82
• Population: 287,899
• Household median income: $91,151
• Single-family home average value: $624,250
• Average total cost of living per month: $6,127

• Walkability score: 88.0
• Livability score: 75
• Population: 8,622,467
• Household median income: $76,607
• Single-family home average value: $775,516
• Average total cost of living per month: $7,531

• Walkability score: 88.7
• Livability score: 75
• Population: 851,036
• Household median income: $136,689
• Single-family home average value: $1,443,931
• Average total cost of living per month: $11,139

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates reviewed the top 50 most walkable major U.S. cities and researched the cost of living in each one. First, GBR sourced walkability ratings from WalkScore.com. Cost-of-living indexes for each city were sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces. The national average expenditure costs for all residents were sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey. The average single-family home value for May 2024 was sourced from the Zillow Home Value Index. By assuming a 10% down payment and using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate, the average mortgage costs were calculated. Average mortgage costs and average expenditure costs were combined to determine the total cost of living for each city. In addition, total population, total households and household median income were sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. All data was collected and is up to date as of July 9, 2024.