WalkScore

I'm getting to a point in my life where I'm beginning to contemplate life without a car. I was car-less once for six years and in many ways it was a liberating experience. No insurance, gasoline, repairs, maintenance, no parking worries and no car payments. I was limited to mass transit, but I was living in Boston, so that really didn't matter much.

Now as I consider the future and I think about being able to walk to everything I want, I can use Walkscore to evaluate various locations and walk-ability. You put an address or zipcode into their search engine and you can find just how many amenities are in the vicinity. You can also use the search engine to find an apartment.

As the site says..."People in walkable neighborhoods weigh 6-10 lbs less. Walkable places make you feel happier and healthier. Short commutes reduce stress and increase community involvement."

Right now the location I live at scores a 29, which is pretty poor. The closer to a score of 100 the better. But I still have a few years to think about this.