Evanston was ranked as one of the top ten cities with the greenest commuting habits in a recent study. NerdWallet, a financial literacy website, analyzed 439 U.S. cities whose residents display environmentally conscious everyday behaviors. Evanston ranked number 10 overall due to the community’s commitment to the environment and sustainable practices.

Evanston ranked higher than such notable cities as Philadelphia (12th place), Chicago (14th place) and Seattle (15th place).

NerdWallet ranked Evanston among the top ten after assessing the percentage of residents who use commuting methods with varying levels of environmental impact:

No environmental impact: Percentage of residents who walk to work, bike to work or work from home.

Low environmental impact: Percentage of residents who take public transportation.

Moderate environmental impact: Percentage of residents who carpool.

High environmental impact: Percentage of residents who drive alone to work.

NerdWallet’s study found that nearly half of Evanston’s residents utilize various greener commuting methods, including walking, biking and taking public transportation.

“The Chicago Transit Authority’s Purple Line runs through Evanston, giving residents easy access to downtown Chicago. The convenience of Metra, CTA and PACE also allows residents to commute to jobs within the city itself,” said Catherine Hurley, the City of Evanston’s Sustainable Programs Coordinator.

“Many communities’ transit systems are convenient to travel to and from locations outside the community. But in Evanston, you can use these systems to travel within the community and make travel greener; even going to shops, restaurants, the lakefront and other leisure destinations,” explained Hurley.

Moreover, the city’s ongoing improvement to bicycle amenities, including the recent protected bicycle lane along Church St. connecting Dodge Ave. with the lakefront, are key in connecting people from their homes to public transit and supporting bicycle travel within the community.

The study also recognized the Evanston’s commitment to sustainability, acknowledging the city’s Climate Action Plan, a compilation of 200 strategies to reduce carbon emissions in the city.

“Evanston has proven itself as a truly environmentally conscious city,” said Divya Raghavan, Analyst, NerdWallet. “The creation of The Evanston Office of Sustainability proves the city’s dedication to environmental responsibility and has helped to develop policies and implement initiatives to reduce Evanston’s carbon footprint, a valued city-wide goal.”

For more information about NerdWallet, visit, www.nerdwallet.com.