Drum Roll Please: America’s Most Walkable Neighborhoods Revealed
Last month, Sweet Digs blogger Tracey Taylor reported that Walk Score would soon be announcing “America’s Most Walkable Neighborhoods.” Well, the results are in and, not surprisingly, the Bay Area scored the #1 spot! And which city took top honors? San Francisco will wear this year’s walkability crown, scoring an 86 for Chinatown, the Financial District and Downtown neighborhoods.
Walk Score helps people find walkable places to live, and in this day and age with gas prices being what they are, global warming on our minds, and obesity lurking around every corner, this should be an important factor in urban areas. Walk Score has made it easy to type in an address and find out what is nearby (grocery, coffeeshop, gym, restaurants, etc), as well as obtaining a score on the walkability of your neighborhood. Urban areas will tend to have a higher score than suburbs, although I am pleasantly surprised that my suburban neighborhood has a rating of 52, which is better than I had anticipated.
And just what makes a neighborhood walkable? Walk Score has a range of factors that go into the ranking, including density, parks and public space, and well-connected streets, among others. For the full list with descriptions, you can check it out here. Scoring for walkability is on a scale from 0-100 and they give these guidelines for interpreting the score:
- 90 – 100 = Walkers’ Paradise: Most errands can be accomplished on foot and many people get by without owning a car.
- 70 – 90 = Very Walkable: It’s possible to get by without owning a car.
- 50 – 70 = Some Walkable Locations: Some stores and amenities are within walking distance, but many everyday trips still require a bike, public transportation, or car.
- 25 – 50 = Not Walkable: Only a few destinations are within easy walking range. For most errands, driving or public transportation is a must.
- 0 – 25 = Driving Only: Virtually no neighborhood destinations within walking range. You can walk from your house to your car!
And in case you were wondering, here is the list of the Top 10 Most Walkable Neighborhoods in the nation:
1. San Francisco (86)
Chinatown, Financial District, Downtown
2. New York (83)
Tribeca, Little Italy, Soho
3. Boston (79)
Back Bay-Beacon Hill, South End, Fenway-Kenmore
4. Chicago (76)
Loop, Near North Side, Lincoln Park
5. Philadelphia (74)
City Center East, City Center West, Riverfront
6. Seattle (72)
Pioneer Square, Downtown, First Hill
7. Washington, D.C. (70)
Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, Downtown
8. Long Beach, CA (69)
Downtown, Belmont Shore, Belmont Heights
9. Los Angeles (67)
Mid City West, Downtown, Hollywood
10. Portland, OR (66)
Pearl District, Old Town-Chinatown, Downtown
I love the fact that Redfin is active in 7 of these 10 cities. (They would be active in 8 if Oregon allowed rebates on home purchases.)
