New ranking from Local Logic and Realtor.com® reveals the best cities for walking, biking, and commuting without a car; the Northeast and California’s Bay Area lead the way with Hoboken, NJ; Cambridge, MA.; and Berkeley, CA., at the top

How we move through our cities plays a big role in sustainability — but not every place makes it easy to go car-free. Today, Realtor.com® and Local Logic unveiled a new ranking of America’s Top Eco-Friendly Cities for Car-Free Transit, highlighting the places where walking, biking, and public transit are not only viable, but widely used. Leading the list are Hoboken, NJ, Cambridge, MA, and Brookline, MA, with the most top-ranked cities found in the Northeast and California’s Bay Area.

The full list in rank order includes:

1. Hoboken, NJ
2. Cambridge, MA
3. Brookline, MA
4. Berkeley, CA
5. Washington, DC
6. San Francisco, CA
7. Somerville, MA
8. Boston, MA
9. Seattle, WA
10. Arlington, VA
11. Emeryville, CA
12. Chicago, IL
13. Minneapolis, MN
14. Culver City, CA

Our team at Local Logic is proud to have powered this ranking with our proprietary Location Scores, which evaluate key factors like cycling friendliness, pedestrian access, and transit availability. These scores are based on billions of data points, capturing everything from local infrastructure to amenities. By combining these scores with U.S. Census data on car-free commuters, Realtor.com was able to create a comprehensive picture of urban mobility and sustainability across the country.

Realtor.com® is the only major portal to integrate Local Logic’s 18 Location Scores across all for-sale and rental listings on its platform, helping consumers factor lifestyle and livability into their housing decisions — not just square footage and price.

The 10 Most Eco-Friendly Transit Cities in the U.S. and What Sets Them Apart

1. Hoboken, NJ

• Percentage of residents not driving to work: 78.4%
• Cycling-friendly Score: 7.0
• Pedestrian-friendly Score: 10.0
• Transit-friendly Score: 8.6

Topping the list is Hoboken, where nearly 80% of residents commute to work without a car. Commuters benefit from the city’s dense, walkable grid and direct access to PATH trains, ferries, and buses into Manhattan. Plus, Hoboken was one of the first U.S. cities to launch a citywide bike-share program.

2. Cambridge, MA

• Percentage of residents not driving to work: 72.8%
• Cycling-friendly Score: 8.8
• Pedestrian-friendly Score: 10.0
• Transit-friendly Score: 8.2

Cambridge is a long-time leader in smart city planning. The city has invested heavily in bike infrastructure — including separated bike lanes on major roads like Massachusetts Avenue — and offers easy access to multiple MBTA Red Line stations, making car-free commuting a natural choice for most residents.

3. Brookline, MA

• Percentage of residents not driving to work: 65.3%
• Cycling-friendly Score: 7.2
• Pedestrian-friendly Score: 9.4
• Transit-friendly Score: 7.4

Just outside Boston, Brookline is well-connected by transit and easy to navigate on foot. With multiple Green Line branches running through the town and a long-standing focus on mixed-use zoning near transit stops, Brookline makes it easy for residents to live, shop, and commute without needing a car.

4. Berkeley, CA

• Percentage of residents not driving to work: 64.4%
• Cycling-friendly Score: 7.4
• Pedestrian-friendly Score: 8.4
• Transit-friendly Score: 7.2

Sustainability has long been part of Berkeley’s identity — and that’s reflected in how people get around. A legacy of progressive urban policy, the city’s strong cycling culture, walkable neighborhoods, and BART access make it easy to commute without a car, while initiatives like slow streets programs, bike boulevards, and transit-priority corridors further support active, low-impact transportation.

5. Washington, D.C.

• Percentage of residents not driving to work: 63.5%
• Cycling-friendly Score: 7.6
• Pedestrian-friendly Score: 8.8
• Transit-friendly Score: 8.4

The nation’s capital continues to lead on livability, with nearly two-thirds of residents commuting car-free. In addition to Metro access and bike-share options like Capital Bikeshare, D.C. is one of the few U.S. cities with a Vision Zero plan aimed at eliminating traffic fatalities through safer, more walkable streets.

6. San Francisco, CA

• Percentage of residents not driving to work: 62.0%
• Cycling-friendly Score: 6.6
• Pedestrian-friendly Score: 10.0
• Transit-friendly Score: 10.0

Despite its famous hills, San Francisco remains one of the country’s most transit- and pedestrian-friendly cities. A long-standing transit-first policy, paired with dense, mixed-use neighborhoods and extensive Muni and BART coverage, supports car-free living. Plus, recent investments, such as car-free Market Street, show the city’s continued push to prioritize people over vehicles.

7. Somerville, MA

• Percentage of residents not driving to work: 61.2%
• Cycling-friendly Score: 7.8
• Pedestrian-friendly Score: 9.4
• Transit-friendly Score: 7.4

Somerville continues to invest in active transportation and people-first streets with clear results. As one of the densest cities in New England, it benefits from compact blocks, strong T access, and bike infrastructure, like the Somerville Community Path, that make getting around without a car easy.

8. Boston, MA

• Percentage of residents not driving to work: 57.9%
• Cycling-friendly Score: 7.4
• Pedestrian-friendly Score: 9.6
• Transit-friendly Score: 8.6

With nearly 58% of locals commuting without a car, Boston shows that older cities can still lead on modern mobility. In addition to strong MBTA coverage, the city’s Go Boston 2030 plan has prioritized equitable, car-free options —  from protected bike lanes on corridors like Commonwealth Avenue to redesigned intersections that improve safety for people walking and biking.

9. Seattle, WA

• Percentage of residents not driving to work: 52.7%
• Cycling-friendly Score: 6.2
• Pedestrian-friendly Score: 7.8
• Transit-friendly Score: 7.0

Seattle’s growing transit network and active transportation efforts are making a difference — over half of residents now commute without driving. The city’s expansion of its Link light rail system and investment in projects like the Seattle Bicycle Master Plan have reshaped how people move through the city, especially in rapidly growing areas such as Capitol Hill and the University District.

10. Arlington, VA

• Percentage of residents not driving to work: 49.7%
• Cycling-friendly Score: 6.2
• Pedestrian-friendly Score: 7.2
• Transit-friendly Score: 6.8

Just across the Potomac from D.C., Arlington punches above its weight for sustainable commuting. Its “urban villages” strategy focuses on growth around Metro stations like Clarendon and Ballston, creating dense, walkable hubs that support nearly half of residents commuting by foot, bike, or transit.

11. Emeryville, CA

• Percentage of residents not driving to work: 49.5%
• Cycling-friendly Score: 7.4
• Pedestrian-friendly Score: 8.2
• Transit-friendly Score: 7.8

Emeryville is one of the most livable small cities in the Bay Area, boasting more park space per resident than many larger cities. With its free city-operated shuttle (the Emery Go-Round) that connects to nearby BART stations, it’s easy for residents to commute without a car — especially given its central location between Oakland and Berkeley.

12. Chicago, IL

• Percentage of residents not driving to work: 44.1%
• Cycling-friendly Score: 6.6
• Pedestrian-friendly Score: 8.4
• Transit-friendly Score: 7.0

Chicago’s dense grid layout and extensive CTA network support over 44% of residents commuting without a car. The city has also been expanding its Divvy bike-share program and building out its protected bike lane network — including high-visibility corridors like Milwaukee Avenue — to make cycling a more viable option for daily commuting.

13. Minneapolis, MN

• Percentage of residents not driving to work: 36.6%
• Cycling-friendly Score: 7.4
• Pedestrian-friendly Score: 6.8
• Transit-friendly Score: 7.0

Known for its winters, Minneapolis still stands out for year-round sustainable commuting. It’s home to the Midtown Greenway, one of the most-used urban bike trails in the U.S., and features over 90 miles of on-street and off-street bikeways — all connected by a nationally recognized park system that supports active travel in every season.

14. Culver City, CA

• Percentage of residents not driving to work: 27.3%
• Cycling-friendly Score: 6.8
• Pedestrian-friendly Score: 7.6
• Transit-friendly Score: 7.6

Car-centric LA isn’t known for sustainable commuting — but Culver City is breaking the mold. With access to the Metro E Line and a growing network of protected bike lanes, the city is helping residents shift toward more walkable, transit-connected lifestyles. It is also piloting car-free street projects, like Move Culver City, designed to prioritize buses, bikes, and pedestrians in key corridors.

Top Eco-Friendly Transit Cities: By the Numbers

View Realtor.com’s full article on 10 Cities With the Best Eco-Friendly Commutes—but Living There Doesn’t Come Cheap

About Realtor.com

Realtor.com® pioneered online real estate and has been at the forefront for over 25 years, connecting buyers, sellers, and renters with trusted insights, professional guidance and powerful tools to help them find their perfect home. Recognized as the No. 1 site trusted by real estate professionals, Realtor.com® is a valued partner, delivering consumer connections and a robust suite of marketing tools to support business growth. Realtor.com® is operated by News Corp [Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA] [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc. Learn more at realtor.com.

About Local Logic

Local Logic is a leading location intelligence company whose mission is to improve every real estate decision, from consumers seeking a neighborhood that aligns with their lifestyle to investors aiming to pinpoint the best locations for development or local governments striving to build more sustainable cities through better urban planning. Our extensive dataset of over 100 billion data points provides unparalleled insights and analytics that have influenced billions of dollars worth of real estate transactions and continuously help more than 18 million monthly users across 8,000 websites in the US and Canada make better-informed decisions. Learn more at locallogic.co.