Really curious what those places are. Because for me it's the other way around. I live in a Dutch city where you can get around easily by walking, biking or public transport. And for those rare occasions I need a car, I use a car sharing service. Don't know if you live in car-dependent suburbia(most people do), but that doesn't sound appealing at all.
We live in a rural area about 10 minutes drive from Olympia, the capitol city of Washington state.
There's a fair amount of public transit in and around Olympia, but none of it comes close to where we live. Uber doesn't serve this area, and taxis are rare and expensive.
My wife and I work from home, and drive our largely hydro-powered Tesla in to town a few times a week.
It's more accurate to say that these coastal cities have certain enclaves where you don't need to own your own car but can take public transportion/walk or get an Uber in a pinch. Uber makes a big difference in increasing the size of the enclave, but having other people drive you around isn't car independence.
I think they were referring to places whereas owning a car is a burden and that the op didn't like. Not places where the need for a vehicle is paramount.
There are probably farmers no too far outside your city that need trucks and other vehicles. I’m not a farmer, and much prefer a lifestyle like yours. But the people growing the food you eat have a different lifestyle.
