Cul-de-sacs are so passé.
Having a walkable city isn't just about avoiding smelly car exhaust and noise pollution, fighting climate change, or curbing obesity. Researchers have found that people will actually pay more for a house that is close to grocery stores, schools, convenience stores, and other businesses. Why shouldn't they? If you're not paying for car insurance or a lease, you'll have more money to burn on your digs. Not to mention the pleasure of meeting your neighbors or taking a walk with your dog to get coffee on Sunday morning.
Yup, walkability is the new buzzword of real estate agents and greenies alike, and the website WalkScore.com quantifies it neatly for you. Type in your address and you can figure out if you could get by without a car (above 70) or if you live in a "Walker's Paradise" (above 90).
Of course, Walk Score only uses the density of businesses to determine the score. It doesn't include hills, weather, or the number of trees lining your stroll. But it's a nifty way to get a handle on that neighborhood you're considering, or give your real estate agent some parameters.
So what do you think? Is this ranking accurate? Which city do YOU think is most walkable?
Visit WalkScore.com to see the full list of top 40 most walkable U.S. cities.
