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Neighborhood Walkability: Get the Score
Hoofing it around is way easier when everything is near your house — and one tool tells you how walkable an area is before you move
Houzz Contributor. I am an architect and writer living in New York City. I have Bachelor of Architecture and Master in Urban Planning degrees, and over ten years experience in architectural practice, split between Chicago and NYC. Currently I'm focused on writing and online pursuits. My daily blog can be found at http://archidose.blogspot.com
Houzz Contributor. I am an architect and writer living in New York City.... More »
Five years ago I learned about the website Walk Score, which uses Google Maps to calculate the walkability of a location based on nearby stores, restaurants, schools, parks and so on. Enter an address or a neighborhood, and the site spits out a Walk Score on a scale of 1 to 100, from "Car-Dependent" to "Walker's Paradise."
The programming and scoring are far from perfect. Distances are as the crow flies; the tool doesn't take into account street layout and terrain. Climate, safety and neighborhood quality aren't considered, either. But the site is still helpful in determining the ability to do things without a car.
I looked at a variety of houses on Houzz to determine their respective scores. All of them are ones for which I could determine the exact address or at least the block on which they are situated. Neighborhood scores are possible, but I noticed that scores can vary by plus or minus 10 points within a neighborhood. So they should be taken with a grain of salt.
To get the ball rolling, I'll offer up the scores for where I grew up and where I live now. I grew up in an old suburb of Chicago with a gridded layout as well as proximity to the commuter trains and "village green." It scores 69 (Somewhat Walkable), but newer suburbs definitely score lower, as they are developed based on proximity to freeways, not trains. Now I live in Astoria, Queens, a 20-minute train ride from midtown Manhattan. My address scores 88 (Very Walkable), but other parts of the neighborhood closer to the shopping streets venture into Walker's Paradise.
The programming and scoring are far from perfect. Distances are as the crow flies; the tool doesn't take into account street layout and terrain. Climate, safety and neighborhood quality aren't considered, either. But the site is still helpful in determining the ability to do things without a car.
I looked at a variety of houses on Houzz to determine their respective scores. All of them are ones for which I could determine the exact address or at least the block on which they are situated. Neighborhood scores are possible, but I noticed that scores can vary by plus or minus 10 points within a neighborhood. So they should be taken with a grain of salt.
To get the ball rolling, I'll offer up the scores for where I grew up and where I live now. I grew up in an old suburb of Chicago with a gridded layout as well as proximity to the commuter trains and "village green." It scores 69 (Somewhat Walkable), but newer suburbs definitely score lower, as they are developed based on proximity to freeways, not trains. Now I live in Astoria, Queens, a 20-minute train ride from midtown Manhattan. My address scores 88 (Very Walkable), but other parts of the neighborhood closer to the shopping streets venture into Walker's Paradise.
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| Desert Mountain, Scottsdale, Arizona Walk Score: 3 Car-Dependent Golf course developments are easily the most car-dependent parts of suburbia. This house on a large lot benefits from the controlled scenery of the course, but one must drive beyond the confines of the development to do anything besides play golf. |
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| Beverly Glen, Los Angeles Walk Score: 34 Car-Dependent It's no surprise that L.A. is a very car-dependent city, though many people may not know that its early, thorough streetcar network enabled the sprawl now served by freeways. These wide rights of way cut up the city, so even short trips require circuitous travel by car. That situation is also the result of the landscape, particularly the hills overlooking the city's sprawl. The appeal of this house in the Hollywood Hills is clear, but walks are probably limited to exercise. |
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| Throggs Neck, Bronx, New York Walk Score: 37 Car-Dependent It may be a surprise that a house in New York City would score just slightly above the previous example. This house, next to the Throggs Neck Bridge in the Bronx, is just about as secluded as you can get in NYC while still being in the city limits. This means you must drive even to reach public transportation, usually the best means of getting about the city. |
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| Deering Center, Portland, Maine Walk Score: 52 Somewhat Walkable With this "in town" house, we venture out of the Car-Dependent and into the Somewhat Walkable realm. The architects attest to the proximity of schools, shopping and dining, but the house is tucked near a cemetery and a park, meaning the places to walk are not within a 360-degree circle of the location. |
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| Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles Walk Score: 65 Somewhat Walkable Elsewhere in Los Angeles, closer to the Pacific, the score is about twice as high as in the Hollywood Hills. This house illustrates one trait (but not a necessary one) of walkability: density. |
| Brentwood, Austin, Texas Walk Score: 65 Somewhat Walkable When we compare this house in Austin to the previous one in L.A., the fact that they have the same score may be surprising. One is basically a rowhouse, and one is a freestanding house on a generous lot. Each owes its relatively high score to a gridded network with a mix of uses within an easy walk. This Austin house, it should be pointed out, is located in the middle of a short block, which would normally be empty or used for a garage. It is a way of infilling the suburbs to add more density while reducing sprawl, one piece at a time. |
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| South Main, Buena Vista, Colorado Walk Score: 66 Somewhat Walkable An ideabook focused on walkability needs to include a new urbanism development. South Main occupies a 41-acre area between the town of Buena Vista and the Arkansas River. The developers envisioned a "walkable, pedestrian-friendly community" with "tree-lined streets, mixed-use residences, green building and a conscientious land-use design." The result clearly has more density than a typical suburban area but not enough to reach Very Walkable status. |
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| Hermosa Beach, Los Angeles Walk Score: 71 Very Walkable Near Manhattan Beach sits Hermosa Beach, a compact community that includes a "boardwalk" (The Strand, actually paved and not made of wood boards) on the Pacific. Here we enter the next realm, Very Walkable. This house benefits from proximity to Pier A Avenue, which runs perpendicular to The Strand and is where most of the community's commercial offerings are located. |
| Windsor Road, Austin, Texas Walk Score: 72 Very Walkable This multifamily project is located near the University of Texas at Austin and, more immediately, near a boulevard with lots of commercial amenities. This means the project is still fairly suburban, with lots of trees on a large lot, but I can't help but wonder how walkable the boulevard is, or if it's geared more to cars than pedestrians. |
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by Nic Darling
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| Kensington, Philadelphia Walk Score: 74 Very Walkable This LEED Platinum project lies north of Philadelphia's Center City district, yet is only a couple of blocks from a metro line that links the residents to much of the city. Walk Score does offer a Transit Score as well, but it is limited to cities whose data is open source, if they have public transit to begin with. This means that Transit Scores are not available most of the time. Regardless, proximity to trains and buses is just as important as walkability for those looking to live somewhere with little to no car usage. |
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| Cole Valley, San Francisco Walk Score: 74 Very Walkable San Francisco is a hilly but still very walkable city, especially taking public transportation into account. This house is located near Golden Gate Park, one of the city's best amenities. |
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| Westover Village, Arlington, Virginia Walk Score: 75 Very Walkable Designed by the same architect as the Portland, Maine, house shown previously, this "metro green" residence is west of downtown Arlington. The house is very close to the core of Westover, which is home to lots of commercial amenities. |
Lincoln Park, Chicago
Walk Score: 80
Very Walkable
Having lived in Lincoln Park (carless, as is still the case in Astoria) for a number of years, I can attest to the area's walkability. This house is located a little bit farther from commercial strips than other parts of Lincoln Park, but it is closer to the elevated train that connects the neighborhood to the Loop and other parts of the city.
Walk Score: 80
Very Walkable
Having lived in Lincoln Park (carless, as is still the case in Astoria) for a number of years, I can attest to the area's walkability. This house is located a little bit farther from commercial strips than other parts of Lincoln Park, but it is closer to the elevated train that connects the neighborhood to the Loop and other parts of the city.
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| Sawtelle, Los Angeles Walk Score: 89 Very Walkable So where must one go in L.A. to attain Very Walkable status? In this case, it's West Los Angeles, which is between Beverly Hills on the east and Santa Monica on the west. It is a fairly dense and built-up area with a number of commercial strips. |
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| Potrero Hill, San Francisco Walk Score: 89 Very Walkable Elsewhere in San Francisco, we see a higher number resulting from more density and an immediate mix of uses — a small grocery is next door to this house. |
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Upper West Side, Manhattan, New York
Walk Score: 98
Walker's Paradise
This Upper West Side town house designed by workshop/apd finally gets us into the Walker's Paradise. It's no surprise that Manhattan is where it happens. This residence is located less than a block from Broadway and its commercial amenities. It's also about halfway between Riverside Park and Central Park, making it an ideal location for walking and other recreation.
Walk Score: 98
Walker's Paradise
This Upper West Side town house designed by workshop/apd finally gets us into the Walker's Paradise. It's no surprise that Manhattan is where it happens. This residence is located less than a block from Broadway and its commercial amenities. It's also about halfway between Riverside Park and Central Park, making it an ideal location for walking and other recreation.
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| Fort Greene, Brooklyn, New York Walk Score: 98 Walker's Paradise But other boroughs score just as high, most notably Brooklyn. Fort Greene is one of many neighborhoods in the borough that has been gentrified to a greater or lesser degree in recent decades. This house is a little bit of a trek from Prospect Park (Brooklyn's answer to Central Park, also designed by Frederick Law Olmsted), but it is very close to the neighborhood's own Fort Greene Park. |
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West Village, Manhattan, New York
Walk Score: 100
Walker's Paradise
The perfect Walk Score appears back in Manhattan, in the West Village and neighboring Greenwich Village. People who have visited the area definitely know that its walkability is the result of much more than proximity to shops, restaurants and such. It is also because the area is a beautiful urban place, with a mix of short blocks at odd angles, a small scale and mature trees. The area was home to writer Jane Jacobs and inspired her still influential Death and Life of Great American Cities. The social diversity has changed in the 50 years since she wrote it, but the physical character has been staunchly preserved, making the neighborhood a delight to walk in and, for those who can afford it, to live in.
More:
A New Community Flourishes in Rhode Island
Project Tour: New Urbanism in Colorado
Tour Sarah Susanka's Newest Right-Sized House
Walk Score: 100
Walker's Paradise
The perfect Walk Score appears back in Manhattan, in the West Village and neighboring Greenwich Village. People who have visited the area definitely know that its walkability is the result of much more than proximity to shops, restaurants and such. It is also because the area is a beautiful urban place, with a mix of short blocks at odd angles, a small scale and mature trees. The area was home to writer Jane Jacobs and inspired her still influential Death and Life of Great American Cities. The social diversity has changed in the 50 years since she wrote it, but the physical character has been staunchly preserved, making the neighborhood a delight to walk in and, for those who can afford it, to live in.
More:
A New Community Flourishes in Rhode Island
Project Tour: New Urbanism in Colorado
Tour Sarah Susanka's Newest Right-Sized House
Comments
Cathy Lara I used to live/go to school in the Upper West Side (116th and Broadway). This totally made me miss that area and I'm not surprised that it has a walk score of 98.
14 months ago · Like
Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC. This is great information, love the idea of this website. Handy also for planning vacations when you do have the time to leisurely walk places. Thanks for the information.
14 months ago · Like
Elena Vega So glad to see someone point out an example of good architecture in Throggs Neck, my hometown! Many people still think the Bronx = slums, but there are gorgeous parts and beautiful homes. Very useful too, that Google tool--thanks for covering it, John!
14 months ago · Like
Becky Harris Fun! I'm at 82. Surprising, as everything I could possibly need on their list (grocery, bank, coffee, shopping, etc.) and many of the most popular restaurants and bars in the city are between a few hundred yards and a mile from my house; I thought it would be better. Maybe it's because Atlanta's public transportation stinks in general.
14 months ago · Like
Danielle Killian John! This is brilliant. Moving to a walkable (88) neighborhood changed our lives. Instead of having a garage and a backyard, we have several parks, coffee shops, and a full community. Walkability seems tied to a vibrant civic life - people are very friendly and involved here. And I dropped 3 sizes when I dropped the car keys...
14 months ago · Like
Kenny Craft, CNU LEED AP Great feature John. Especially in this real estate market, walkability happens to correlate to a great degree with home value retention..., the more walkable, the more amenities and therefore the more value. I happen to personally live in the South Main neighborhood (new urban neighborhood scoring 66 above). Interestingly, my family recently moved from a suburban area in Charlotte which scores 28. Though very fairly not Manhattan, we have noticed a dramatic increase in walking even going from 28 to 66. I do wish they had a "bike score". What you can't reach by foot in my small, flat, Colorado town, you pretty much can reach by bike (cruiser bike I might add) (including grocery store, most restaurants, etc.) So generally, I can vouch for the lifestyle change that comes from "moving up" the walk score scale...
14 months ago · Like
12steps4remodel I currently live in a scored neighborhood of 6 (probably should be lower since the places they list would be a hard uphill walk across a 4 lane highway) and bought a house in a small nearby town for our retirement that has a score of 85! Same thing as Becky, should be higher except public transport sucks! I look forward to walking to the grocery, the pharmacy, the local pub and theater--just like when I was a kid.
14 months ago · Like
John Hill Thanks for the good comments. Surprisingly public transportation does not factor in the scoring. Walk Score does provide a separate "transit score," but it's not included for many places, because they either don't have it or the data for the system is not open source. Therefore it's not as easy to compare places using that separate score. Ideally the walk score would take public transit into account, since being tied to local and regional mass transit is what makes walking possible for more than just running errands or grabbing a coffee.
14 months ago · Like
dbartley Our lives changed too when we moved from a less walkable neighborhood to Falls Church City VA (walk score 94 / Walker's Paradise). We are mere blocks from everything we could want - parks, great playgrounds, the library, restaurants, amazing farmer's market, banks - the list goes on and on! Now that we see how wonderful it is, we can never go back.
14 months ago · Like
jginteriors I just took the walkability score in mid-town Toronto and only received a 63! We live within 500 meters of everything and anything we could ever need (it's even termed "the village" for that reason!). Even my 4 year old can walk everywhere - without complaining : ) As someone who grew up without a car I completely agree with the idea of walkability and I really wish planners would take note when creating new subdivisions in the burbs. Maybe one day...
14 months ago · Like
John Hill For those interested in the topic of walkability, Tom Vanderbilt, author of "Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do," just started a four-part series at Salon on "The Crisis in American Walking": http://www.slate.com/articles/life/walking/2012/04/why_don_t_americans_walk_more_the_crisis_of_pedestrianism_.html
14 months ago · Like
Jeff Chmielewski I'd love to know how this algorithm works - my old address in Manhattan gets a 100, but my new address only gets a 68. The odd thing is that I don't find it that much less walkable - I'm less than five minutes walk (less than a quarter mile) from the village that we live in. It that has 2 museums, 2 coffee shops, 10+ restuarants and bars, tons of stores, several parks, a post office, a bank and a grocery store -- and I'm also less than five minutes from the train station to boot. It seems to be skewed towards big city high rise living -- even though it used to take me longer to take the elevator downstairs than it does to walk to town now!
14 months ago · Like
John Hill Jeff - I think the programming is skewed towards whatever is entered into Google Maps, meaning if the business and institutions that you referred to are not incorporated into the map (user generated or not), then they're not being taken into account. There might be more incentive to list your business with Google Maps in areas with more density, and therefore competition, than other areas. But I'm speculating here, as I'm not exactly sure how the scoring works.
14 months ago · Like
Hugh Jefferson Randolph Architects John- thanks for including our project at 29th & Wooldridge, in Austin. (Less than a mile from Windsor Road). While not too far from many amenities- such as a nice park and a few restaurants, I have to say it's not in a true mixed use area such as a higher density downtown. But then again, it does provide more green open space than most areas that are "more urban".
14 months ago · Like
John Hill As a follow up to the Slate (not Salon) link, part three is focused on Walk Score: http://www.slate.com/articles/life/walking/2012/04/walking_in_america_how_walk_score_puts_a_number_on_walkability_.html
14 months ago · Like
Universal Joint Design Associates hi john. thanks a lot for the link here. interesting topic and interesting links. i've got your archidose post on this home hanging in the office here in austin (also thanks for that). this was design build so the location of this job made the job convenient and actually i am convinced it also helped to keep subcontractor costs down. regards, jonathan 
13 months ago · Like
Ideabook published on April 5, 2012.
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