America's most walkable cities
Tuesday, March 10, 2009 
I am always on the lookout for great towns. I love places, and I love to find places I love. Did that make sense. Anywhoo - one of the main things that makes a spot great in my mind is if it is walkable. By that I mean, do you need a car to get around, or is biking or walking a viable option? This list by runtheplanet.com cites the best walkable cities based on these five criteria:
1. Compact and diverse development - Zoning is not unduly restrictive, so you can find a corner grocery store, coffee shop, theater, school or church within walking distance of where you live and work.
2. Places to walk - Are there meaningfully connected, wide, well-maintained sidewalks and pedestrian paths that connect homes with shops and other destinations?
3. No impassable barriers - If there are obstacles like major roadways, rivers and train tracks, can you cross them safely on foot without going far out of your way?
4. Beauty - Is it aesthetically pleasing to walk to your destination? Are there trees, public parks, public art, benches and fountains along the way?
5. Safety - Is it safe to walk where you need to go? Are drivers courteous to pedestrians, and are there traffic controls (and enforcement) to ensure that they are?
And the winners are...
Top 5 Small Communities (population < 50,000)
Dunedin, Florida.
Exeter, New Hampshire.
Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
Burlington, Vermont.
Xenia, Ohio. A
Top 5 Medium Cities (population 50,000 to 500,000)
Boulder, Colorado.
Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Raleigh, North Carolina.
Portland, Maine.
Austin, Texas.
Top 5 Large Cities (population 500,000+)
Washington, District of Columbia.
Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Boston, Massachusetts.
Portland, Oregon.
Seattle / Kirkland, Washington.
Do you know of a great town not listed here that exemplifies these 5 traits?
I'd love to hear about it.
(Check out walkscore.com to see how walkable your town is. Thanks for the great site, Rachel!)
{image by Cornelis Verwaal}
Reader Comments (5)
Have you tried Walk Score? http://www.walkscore.com/
It's actually really fun, because you put in your address and it tells you how walkable your particular area is. I live in LA, which most people think of as not being pedestrian friendly, but I barely ever have to drive!
that is awesome. other then my score is a 14/100. Do you understand my obsession now?
love both of these links! thanks to both of you. glad this issue is getting awareness, and not just b/c we're all fat, but b/c walking is nice.
This is so neat.
It makes me want to move :)
I live in Raleigh and am amazed that it is on this list. I don't consider it particularly walk-able, unless all you want to do is walk from bar to bar ;)
I visited Louisville, KY last fall and got the impression that it was a very cute, walk-able city with definite personality. From my friend's house, I was able to walk to an array of restaurants, clothing and craft boutiques, music and book stores, bakeries and coffee shops. I don't know too much about the city, but I found that area, at least, very charming.