Moving out of the city doesn’t have to mean driving everywhere. Where you live within a town can make just as much difference as which town you choose.
If you’re used to walking the kids to school, grabbing coffee around the corner, or taking the subway to work, the idea of moving to the suburbs can come with a very specific concern: am I going to have to drive everywhere?
Maybe – but not necessarily.
Some families move to the suburbs and are happy to hop in the car for school, errands, activities, and dinners out. Others want to keep as much walking as possible in their daily routine. Some hope to be a one-car household. And some aren’t worried about driving, but would really like to be able to walk to the train or let their kids bike into town when they’re older.
All of those preferences can shape your suburban search. And often, how much you drive isn’t determined by the town you choose. It comes down to where you live within that town.
Two families can live in the same community and have completely different routines. One may be five minutes on foot from the train, elementary school, and downtown. Another may live several miles away on a larger property and get in the car every time they leave home.
So before assuming that suburban life means becoming completely car-dependent, tell your Suburban Jungle Strategist how you actually want to get around. It can make a big difference in where you look.
First, How Much Driving Are You Comfortable With?
“Walkable” is one of those words that gets used constantly in suburban searches, but it doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone. When one family says they want a walkable town, they might mean, “I’d love to walk into town for dinner on Friday night.” Another might mean, “I want to walk my kids to school every morning.” At the same time, someone else wants to walk to the train station to get to and from work. And for a family hoping to remain a one-car household, walkability may mean being able to handle a significant portion of everyday life without a second vehicle.
Those are very different requests – and that’s why your Suburban Jungle Strategist will want to understand the routine you’re trying to create.
Do both adults drive?
How do you feel about school drop-off?
Do you want to walk to the train?
Would you like coffee, restaurants, or basic errands within walking distance?
Are you hoping your kids will eventually be able to walk or bike places independently?
Do you expect to rely on Uber or other rideshare services regularly?
You don’t have to be anti-car for any of this to matter. Maybe you’re completely comfortable driving to the grocery store and soccer practice but don’t want to get in the car every single time you leave the house. That’s useful information, too, and can all inform your suburban search.
The Neighborhood May Matter More Than the Town
Here’s where things get more nuanced. A town can be “walkable” and still have plenty of homes where you’ll drive almost everywhere. Likewise, a community you didn’t initially think of as particularly walkable may have certain neighborhoods where you can easily get to the train, school, downtown, or a park on foot or bike. That’s one reason it’s hard to evaluate towns without taking the tour and spending time getting to know the community.
If walking is important to you, your Strategist can help you get much more specific. Which neighborhoods have sidewalks? Where can you realistically walk to the train? Which streets put you near an elementary school, playground, library, or downtown? Are there areas where an older child could eventually bike to a friend’s house or head into town without needing you to drive?
Even phrases in real estate listings don’t always tell the whole story. “Close to town” could mean a 10-minute walk on sidewalks – but it could also mean a three-minute drive along a road you’d never want to walk with a stroller. On a map, those houses may look almost equally convenient. In reality, they’re not.
| READ MORE… What to Expect on Your Town Tours The Family Lifestyle Audit: Finding a Place That Fits the Way You (Actually) Live A Peek at How the Suburban Jungle Process Really Works |
Don’t Look at the Train Time in a Vacuum
If commuting is part of your move, it’s tempting to compare towns based on how long the train takes to get into the city. That’s useful, but it isn’t your entire commute. You also need to get to the station.
Can you walk from the neighborhood you’re considering?
Could you bike?
If you’re driving, where will you park?
Does the town require a permit?
Is there a waitlist?
Is a local shuttle available?
And if one person takes the car to the station every morning, what does that mean for everyone else at home?
A town with a slightly longer train ride could give you an easier overall commute if you can leave your house and walk directly to the station. A faster express train may be less appealing if you have to drive 10 minutes, find parking, and build extra time into every morning. Again, the train schedule won’t tell you that. Someone who knows the town – like your Strategist or Suburban Jungle partner agent – can.
Test the Routine, Not Just the Town
Once you’ve narrowed your search, try doing some of the things you’d actually do if you lived there. If you’re looking at a neighborhood because it’s walkable to downtown, walk it. Don’t just check the distance on your phone.
Walk from the neighborhood to the train station. Drive the route to school around drop-off or pickup time. If you expect your kids to bike somewhere eventually, look at the actual route they’d take. If you have a stroller, bring it and see whether that “easy walk” still feels easy.
And pay attention to the everyday details. Where would you buy groceries? Pick up a prescription? Take your child to the pediatrician? How often would those errands put you in the car?
None of this means every destination has to be walkable. The point is to understand the routine you’re signing up for before you sign up for it.
Your Strategist can help here, too, especially when it comes to knowing what to test. A house may look perfectly situated on a map, but a busy intersection, lack of sidewalks, steep hill, or complicated station-parking situation can change how convenient that location actually feels.
Chances Are, You’ll Probably Drive More
If you’re coming from NYC, chances are you’re going to drive more than you do now. Even families who live within walking distance of a suburban downtown may drive to sports practices, doctors’ appointments, grocery stores, camps, friends’ houses, regional shopping, and weekend activities. As kids get older and schedules get busier, the amount of driving can change again.
The goal doesn’t have to be eliminating the car. It’s figuring out which trips you don’t want to have to hop in your car for. Maybe you want to walk to the train every weekday but don’t mind driving on weekends. Maybe you want your children to be able to walk to school but couldn’t care less whether the grocery store is nearby. Maybe being able to walk downtown for dinner is one of the things you’ll miss most about city life. Or maybe none of this matters to you, and you’d happily drive everywhere in exchange for more land, privacy, or a house you love. Ultimately, it’s your decision – and your Strategist can help narrow your search based on what’s most important to you and your family.
Find the Balance That Works for You
At the end of the day, there’s no ideal amount of driving in the suburbs. Some families want two cars and a big driveway. Some want to see whether they can make one car work. Others don’t care about how much they drive, but know they want to be able to walk the kids to school or grab a cup of coffee, car-free. What matters is talking about it early enough for it to shape your search.
Your Suburban Jungle Strategist can help you look beyond labels like “walkable” and “commuter-friendly” and understand what daily life looks like in specific towns and neighborhoods. Because choosing where to live isn’t just about finding a town you like. It’s about making sure the way you’ll live there works for you.
For more insights, visit SJ’s New York City suburbs section and the New York City blog page on our website.
Ready to start exploring? Schedule your free initial strategy call today.