The Great Unbuckling: American’s Growing Hunger for Life Without a Car

For decades, the "American Dream" has been synonymous with a two-car garage and a wide suburban driveway. But a new study from Arizona State University reveals a massive shift in what we actually want from our neighborhoods versus what we're building today.

According to ASU researchers, nearly one in five U.S. car owners is now definitely interested in ditching their rides, while over half are open to the idea. This isn't just a niche trend for urban enthusiasts, it’s a growing demand that crosses generations and income levels.

A Demand Without Enough Supply

The most striking finding of the ASU study isn’t just the scale of the interest, but its breadth. Interest in car-free living shows little connection to specific socio-demographic characteristics; whether you're a Gen Z professional, a middle-income family, or a retiree, the appeal of a life less dependent on a steering wheel is universal.

"When nearly 20% of car owners say they would definitely be interested in living without a car, it does not mean they want to give up mobility. It means they would like to live in a context where they can reliably get where they need to go without having to own a car." - ASU Researcher Nicole Cororan

However, there is a massive gap between what Americans want and what is actually available. Many people own cars not because they want to, but because our built environment makes costly car ownership feel mandatory. It's also important to remember that many older Americans will outlive their ability to safely drive a vehicle by 10-years or more meaning a loss of dignity and independence for those seniors aging in place in more sprawling suburban areas.

Despite the overwhelming desire for car-free options, the market is currently defined by a severe "walkability gap." Because walkable urban places occupy only about 1.2% of the land in major U.S. metropolitan areas, they command a staggering price premium. Recent data indicates that homebuyers are paying 34% to 41% more per square foot for homes in walkable neighborhoods compared to car-dependent suburbs, while rental premiums can reach as high as 47%. This isn't just a matter of luxury; it is a direct result of artificial scarcity. A 2025 housing study estimates a national underproduction of nearly 4 million homes, with a specific "pent-up demand" for hundreds of additional walkable urban centers that simply do not exist due to restrictive zoning. Until we legalize the density required for these neighborhoods, walkability will remain an expensive privilege rather than a standard housing choice.

The "Invisible Wall" of Zoning

If the demand is so high, why aren't we seeing walkable, car-free neighborhoods popping up on every corner? The answer lies in our inflexible, outdated municipal zoning and development structures that encourage and perpetuate development patterns more akin to the time period when many of them were first drafted in the 1960s and 70s, preventing our communities from adapting to a more flexible housing demand.

Currently, our ability to meet this demand is constrained by:

• Parking Minimums: Many city codes require developers to build a set number of parking spots for every apartment or shop, which drives up costs and eats up space that could be used for housing or parks. In most states, 90%+ of residentially zoned land is covered by rigid minimum parking requirements, making infill development in walkable areas either too expensive or logistically impossible to meet.

• Single-Family Exclusivity: Large swaths of land are restricted to single-family homes, making the density required for local grocery stores and transit unachievable.

• Mixed-Use Barriers: Zoning often separates where we live from where we work and shop, ensuring that even a simple "milk run" requires a five-mile drive.

From Constraints to Communities

The ASU research points to projects like Culdesac Tempe, the first car-free neighborhood built from scratch in the U.S., as a blueprint for what’s possible when we prioritize people over pavement. Residents there report higher levels of social connection and lower stress, simply because their environment supports their lifestyle choices.

The research from ASU is clear: the American Dream is evolving, and for nearly 60% of us, that dream no longer involves necessitating a vehicle for every day tasks. One of the biggest obstacles to realizing this future for so many isn’t a lack of interest, it’s a wall of outdated red tape. When towns fight to keep walkable housing illegal, they aren’t preserving "neighborhood character"; they are artificially inflating housing prices and denying millions of people the lifestyle they actually want.

We can no longer allow 20th-century zoning to dictate 21st-century lives. Today, for many, 'making it' means being forced into an amenity-poor, drive-everywhere suburb because walkable neighborhoods have become an unattainably expensive luxury. If we want to solve the housing crisis and lower the cost of living, we must stop building by default and start building by demand. It is time to stop forcing Americans behind a windshield and give them the freedom to walk again.

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Jonathan Berk is an experienced, strategic urbanist, attorney, and policy innovator with over a decade of expertise in promoting reforms in housing, land use, and economic development through impactful public-private initiatives. He possesses deep knowledge of the structural obstacles to housing production and economic growth, such as regulatory hurdles and financing challenges, and has a proven track record of creating collaborative solutions that unlock opportunities and achieve measurable results. He is a skilled communicator, published thought leader, and a trusted advisor to policymakers, planners, and advocates working where policy, capital, and community intersect.