In Europe, if you don't have a car, it's a choice. People ride bikes, walk, or take the trains around most cities. But in America? You're a certified, TLC-described scrub without a ride. That is, unless you live in one of a few select cities -- where having a car isn't a requisite to getting love.
Unsurprisingly, New York City is the best city in the US if you're into biking, bipedal motion, and trains. That is, according to Seattle-based company Walk Score, which analyzed the largest 3,000 American cities to find those easiest cities for commuting without a car. The composite score combined data on walking routes, cycle paths, and public transportation, generating scores from 0 - 100 for each mode of transport.
NYC scored high for having the most efficient public transportation in the country, with 24-hour service and a transit score of 81.2. The Big Apple also rated no. 1 for its walkability, thanks to the city's grid system. But for bike-friendliness, it came in only no. 9, proving that more New Yorkers need to hop on their bikes.
San Francisco came in second overall, with an overall score of 80.5, ranking second-best in both walkability and bike-friendliness. Boston took third place, with a score of 74.8, and came in third for walkability, and fifth for bike-friendliness.
Most surprising, LA (aka automobile hell) made the top 10, with a score of 49.9. But from the way Angelenos complain about traffic, you'd never know anyone had ever heard of public transportation there.
Before you move to NYC to ride the A train, here are the top cities for public transit, along with the scores for bike-friendliness and walkability in each (where available).
SEE ALSO: The most bike-friendly cities in the world
10. Portland
49.6 (cycling: 70.3, walking: 63)
9. Los Angeles
49.9 (cycling: 54, walking: 64)
8. Baltimore
56.9 (walking: 66.2)
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