Kaid Benfield's Blog
America’s most fuel-efficient neighborhoods, according to Forbes
July 9, 2008
Posted by Kaid Benfield in Living Sustainably , Moving Beyond Oil
Mainstream publications are falling all over each other trying to come up with new angles on gas prices and, in quite a few cases, how those prices are affected by, or are affecting, neighborhood choices.
In its new article on the subject, Forbes asked the Center for Neighborhood Technology, which has long worked with NRDC and other groups on the transportation efficiency of neighborhoods, to come up with good examples. CNT delved into its vast database of transportation expenditures (car ownership and maintenance, gasoline, transit costs, etc.) per household per month and helped Forbes pick ten neighborhoods that are relatively cost-efficient for transportation:
- Brooklyn Heights, New York City (cost: $643 per month)
- Koreatown, Los Angeles ($658)
- Logan Square, Chicago ($742)
- Arlington, VA ($747)
- The Mission, San Francisco, ($746)
- Fishtown, Philadelphia ($674)
- Jamaica Plain, Boston ($728)
- Woodward Corridor, Detroit ($728)
- Greenville, Dallas ($745)
- Montrose, Houston ($760)
As the article notes,
“Energy usage can vary widely within the same market. In Minneapolis-St. Paul, the average household in the leafy urban neighborhood of East Isles, adjacent to Lake Calhoun, drives 9,420 miles per year and spends $620 a month on transportation costs. That compares to 21,684 miles per year in exurban Rosemount, where monthly transportation costs top $1,000.
Read the explanations and view the gallery here.
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- Kaid Benfield
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- Washington, DC
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Comments
Laurence Aurbach — Jul 10 2008 07:02 PM
The article doesn't specify the methodology used to make the list. But it's clear the minimum monthly costs can be a lot lower in walking- and transit-oriented neighborhoods.
In D.C., you can buy a 7-day unlimited Metro pass for $39, or $156/month. So if you live and work without a car, within walking distance of Metro stations -- anywhere in the D.C. area -- your cost is a quite a bit less than the cost Forbes has listed.
Say two parents have Metro passes, and two kids get the $26/month student Metro passes. That's $364/month for household travel costs. Even if you throw in 3 hours of Zipcar rental every week, that only raises the total monthly cost to $477/month. Those are conservative numbers; there are cheaper options.
Neighborhoods where private vehicle use is optional will always be the most fuel efficient.
Kaid @ NRDC — Jul 11 2008 09:03 AM
Good comment. CNT's numbers are conservative.