15 Most Walkable Cities in the US
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In this article, we look at the 15 Most Walkable Cities in the US. You can skip our detailed analysis on walkability of cities and head over directly to the 5 Most Walkable Cities in the US.
Walkable cities are referred to those cities or neighborhoods that are pedestrian-friendly and enable journey on foot. Walking still continues to be the cheapest mode of transportation and is the oldest form of human mobility. Developing cities that are walkable is a great way to build equitable and affordable transport systems for communities, and can also help address some pressing environmental challenges facing the globe such as carbon emissions.
Goal 11 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is regarding making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. One way of doing it is through the concept called The 15 Minute City – given by Professor Carlos Moreno, which calls for building cities in a way that all basic necessities like shops, parks, schools, offices, and others are within a 15-minute walk or bicycle ride. A number of mayors around the world endorsed the concept in a report published last year and emphasized on allocating more space in their cities to walking and cycling.
A research paper published at the University of Minho in Portugal focused on attributes required in a well functioning pedestrian network. Cities are considered walkable if the pedestrian system is coherent and in continuity, in the sense that sidewalks or streets are organized and understandable. Moreover, there should be a balance of transportation modes that encourage pedestrian participation.
Convenience is another vital factor. Urban structures that offer proximity to facilities of basic necessities are more likely to encourage people to walk, rather than take a car. High pedestrian activity is also noted in areas with high residential density. Lastly, a pedestrian network should also provide safety against crime, and protection from traffic accidents or collisions.
Boston is the most walkable city in the US, followed by Washington, DC and New York City. What makes the Massachusetts capital pedestrian-friendly is the accessibility its residents have in meeting their daily needs by foot, whether it is going to school or work, or walking your way into a shop or pub. On the other hand, Chesapeake in Virginia is the least walkable city in the US. This is due to the fact that almost all errands require a car in the city. Other cities in country that rank low on walkability include Fayetteville, Winston-Salem, and Jacksonville.
According to architectural services company Gensler, autonomous vehicles are likely to become a game-changer for future cities as they might not require wider roads and curbside parking. This will lead to more pedestrian-focused free space in the form of sidewalks, cafes, bike lanes, and other areas for the community to gather.
Fortune Business Insights has projected the market size of the autonomous vehicles industry to grow from $1.63 billion in 2022 to nearly $20 billion by 2029. Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) is one of leading companies in the self-driving cars industry. Its vehicles come equipped with advanced hardware/software features known as the autopilot that enables them to offer autonomous capabilities. In December 2022, Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) announced that 285,000 people bought the Full Self-Driving (FSD) package in North America. The FSD enables the car to perform all tasks related to driving on the roads, but requires some driver supervision. Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) ranks as the seventh best selling stock of self-driving car companies. You can read more about the best selling stocks in the industry in our article, 14 Best Self-Driving Car Stocks To Invest In.
Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG), is another self-autonomous driving technology company based in the United States, which operates self-driving taxi services in Arizona and California. Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) is the parent company of Google.
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Methodology
We have used consensus methodology to rank the most walkable cities in the US, citing walkability rankings and scores from five sources: Foot Traffic Ahead, a 2023 report by Smart Growth America and Places Platform covering walkability in America’s largest metropolitans; SmarterTravel.com’s list of Top 10 Walkable Cities in the US; WalkScore.com that ranks over 130 cities on walkability; Travel Await’s article on the 12 Walkable Cities in the US; and Tourlane’s list of the World’s Most Walkable Cities.
Aggregated scores were assigned to cities that appeared on each of these lists based on their rankings on these platforms. For example, a city that ranked 1 out of 10 on one website received a score of a solid 1 out of 1; a city that ranked second was given 0.9 out of 1, and so on.
Here are the most walkable cities in the US.
15. Long Beach, California
Score: 0.73
Close proximity to shops, restaurants, health services, and various forms of entertainment make Long Beach in California one of the most walkable cities in the US. Moreover, the city has a 3.1 mile boardwalk along the coast, specifically built for strollers to walk around the sea. Lincoln Park and Harvey Milk Park further add to the scenic beauty that is on display when you stroll in the city. Long Beach is ranked 10th on Smarter Travel's list of the top ten walkable cities in US.
14. Houston, Texas
Score: 0.75
Tourlane’s article The World’s Most Walkable Cities listed Houston fifth among the most walkable city in the US. Midtown, Downtown, Montrose, The Heights, and Museum District are regarded as some of the most walkable neighborhoods in the city. Houston is also considered one of the safest cities in the US to live in. You can read in detail about this in our article, 35 Safest Places to Live in the U.S. in 2023.
13. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Score: 0.87
Pittsburgh is one of the most walkable cities in America. The city was ranked 9th on walkability by the Foot Traffic Ahead in its 2023 report. It was also listed on 23rd spot among the 130 cities considered by walkscore.com. In approximately five minutes, you can walk your way to a restaurant, pub, or shop in Pittsburgh.
12. Minneapolis, Minnesota
Score: 1.10
Minneapolis is a city in Minnesota that is surrounded by numerous lakes and River Mississippi. The walkability of the city allows its residents to do errands by foot. Some large corporations such as Target and U.S. Bancorp are based in Minneapolis. The city's most walkable neighborhoods are Lyn Lake and Lowry Hill East, according to Redfin.
11. Oakland, California
Score: 1.13
Located on the east of the San Francisco bay, Oakland is nearly as walkable as San Francisco is. The downtown region offers easy access by foot to a range of restaurants, bars, and shops. The city is ranked 7th out of 100 on Smarter Travel’s list of the top ten walkable cities in the US. The most walkable neighborhoods of Oakland are the Downtown and Fruitvale Station. Some other parts of the city, however, have struggled with increased number of crime-related incidents in recent times.
10. Los Angeles, California
Score: 1.18
Los Angeles is the tenth most walkable city in the US. According to walkscore.com, there are over 11,000 restaurants in the city, and people can walk to an average of two restaurants in five minutes. Hollywood, Westwood, and Koreatown are the most walkable neighborhoods in Los Angeles.
9. Portland, Oregon
Score: 1.52
Portland is considered to be one of the most walkable cities on the West Coast. You can easily walk your way to supermarkets, pubs, and theaters anywhere in the city. Pearl District, Healy Heights, and Sylvan Highlands are among the most walkable places in Portland.
8. Seattle, Washington
Score: 1.88
Home to three national parks, Seattle in Washington is a hiker’s paradise. Other main attractions in the city to explore by foot include Space Needle and Pike Place Market. You can easily find cafes at nearly every corner of the city and enjoy a nicely brewed cup of coffee. Plenty of large corporations such as Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG), Amazon, Microsoft, and Starbucks maintain corporate presence in Seattle, and it is a common sight to see people walk their way to work.
7. Miami, Florida
Score: 2.25
Miami is known for its traffic, but is also popular for its walkability so it is never a bad idea to get out of your car and explore the city on foot. The most walkable neighborhoods of the city include Downtown, Calle Ocho, and Little Havana. You can also stroll along the 7 miles long Miami boardwalk and enjoy the sea.
6. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Score: 2.30
Next on the list is Philadelphia, the most populous city of Pennsylvania. The city has a lot to offer. From 10,000 acres of green space to relax and walk in, to the vibrant downtown buzzing with shops, restaurants, and pubs. Philadelphia's most walkable neighborhoods according to Smarter Travel include Avenue of the Arts South, Washington Square West, and Rittenhouse Square. The city was ranked on four of the five website we studied to rank the most walkable cities for this article.
Click to continue reading and see the 5 Most Walkable Cities in the US.
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Disclosure: None. 15 Most Walkable Cities in the US is originally published on Insider Monkey.