13 Most Walkable Cities in the US

Most people mistakenly believe that when you plan a city with an efficient road system, there isn’t really room to make it walkable. However, these features are not mutually exclusive.

With people-oriented city planning, you can improve a city’s walkability without compromising its car accessibility (although compromising car accessibility isn’t necessarily a bad thing). The best way for cities to do this is to get inspiration from the most walkable cities in the US — the one’s that have proven that “people infrastructure” works.

But is it really worth the effort?

Absolutely! Some people are more than eager to pay a little bit more for a house that gives them quick access to a city’s parks, shops, and other vital destinations without using a car. And aside from pure convenience, a walkable city also provides additional benefits, such as:

• Improves the community’s physical and mental health  
• Boosts the city’s economy by attracting more tourists and shoppers  
• Reduces carbon emission and other air pollutants  

Today, almost everyone is environmentally-conscious, making walkability in America even more crucial. Improving a city’s “walkability” services will naturally attract new residents and cause existing ones to be happy – ultimately leading to a more efficient and thriving community.

Top Walk-Friendly Cities in America

If you want to plan a city right and make it as walk-friendly as possible, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel completely. You can jumpstart ideas from existing walkable cities and adjust them to cater to the locality.

A city’s walkability is both an art and science. You will need to consider the population and the distances to local conveniences. At the same time, you should also encourage people to walk instead of drive – enticing them with beautiful scenery and safety.

The most efficient way of determining how to maximize a city’s walkability is to look at what is already working in other cities. So without further ado, Here are 13 of the most walkable cities in the country:

1. San Francisco, CA

Famous for the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco ranks as the number one walkable city in the US. People who plan on living in this beautiful city don’t need to have a car. Residents can walk the neighborhood or ride several public transportation options, such as BART, MUNI, or the bus. Most tourists enjoy the city by riding cable cars.

Even with those challenging hills, San Francisco still ranks first because the city has a safe pedestrian infrastructure – with only 18 pedestrian fatalities for a population of nearly 800,000.

City by the Bay also has more than enough people supporting local businesses, whether that be Silicon Valley or smaller startup companies. Chinatown and Tenderloin are neighborhoods worth exploring too, with each ranking 100% in the walkability score. The city is also working on a new project involving a low-carbon community with walkable blocks.

San Francisco is a mash-up of people from different cultural backgrounds. And this terrific blending of diversity makes the walkable lifestyle in the city the best.

2. New York City, NY

New York City – with its population of around 8.1 million – has one of the lowest rates of pedestrian fatalities. A study conducted and released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) showed that New York only has 1.38 pedestrian fatalities per 100,000 people living in the city.

Evaluating walkability in America involves several factors — including easy access to public transportation — and New York checks all the blocks. New York City’s well-planned massive transportation network makes every stop – whether by bus or subway – just a few minutes walk away.

Aside from walking, residents can also choose to ride bikes, moving through the city’s extensive bike and bike-shares lanes.

The Big Apple has a lot of walk-friendly neighborhoods, including Little Italy, Union Square, and the West Village. Some of these areas are home to world-class restaurants.

Most of New York City’s residents do not even have cars or driver’s licenses – giving more proof of how walkable this city is.

3. Newark, NJ

City officials of Newark, New Jersey are constantly working on projects to continue improving the city’s foot traffic despite being an old city center. Newark’s most walkable areas include Newark Central Business District, Forest Hill, and University Heights neighborhoods.

You will also see historical landmarks, art galleries, parks, and restaurants lined up along Newark’s walk-friendly areas. All these attractions and establishments contribute to a positive impact on the community’s social living.

4. Boston, MA

With part of our country’s vital past under Boston’s belt, it is no wonder that this historic city is one of the most populous. Even before the concept of walkability in America (back when cities were just built walkable), Boston was already ahead of its peers when it created its subway system – the country’s first – back in 1897.

Today, Boston ranks as the fourth most walkable city in the US, as evident in neighborhoods like Beacon Hill, Bay Village, and North End. These areas offer many opportunities for sightseeing with their Federal-style houses. As a result, these walkable neighborhoods offer some of the best urban scenery in the country.

While the city’s tight topography made it naturally walkable, it also passed other important tests with flying colors, including pedestrians number one concern — safety.

5. Philadelphia, PA

Founded in 1682, Philadelphia boasts of historical monuments, cobblestone streets, and more than 10,00 acres of green spaces. The city’s long history, which started before the advent of vehicles, helped make the infrastructure suitable for walking.

This walk-friendly city ranked eighth in the most populous cities, and in 2019, it only had 29 pedestrian fatalities. Its historical districts provide more than enough encouragement for people to walk around to experience its popular locations, including the Liberty Bell.

The top three neighborhoods scoring 100% in the walk score are Rittenhouse Square, Avenue of the Arts South, and Center City West. A combination of excellent public transport, walkability, and biking ability make the City of Brotherly Love a walkable paradise.

6. Washington, DC

The nation’s capital is a model of balanced urban development. Washington, DC continues developing and improving the city with several walkable areas, including U-Street, Mount Vernon Square, and Dupont Circle. Georgetown’s historic cobblestone sidewalks also retain the historic charm of the place.

Aside from those living in the White House, residents have easy access to lively shops, art galleries, and even the National Zoo. Overall, DC has excellent pedestrian infrastructure and sidewalk coverage.

To further demonstrate DC’s commitment to its walkability, it also has several “walkability plans” and walk-friendly policies, including a Pedestrian Master Plan and exceptional Design and Engineering manuals.

7. Seattle, WA

Despite being riddled with hills and soaked by inclement weather, Seattle still made it to the most walkable US cities list. One reason for this is the convenience it offers to residents. Famous for the Space Needle, stunning backdrop of landscapes, and strong coffee, the Emerald City only had 12 pedestrian fatalities in 2021.

Staircases make the hills of Seattle more manageable, and well-planned bus routes link prominent areas together. Local conveniences are also within walking range – an essential element in ranking a city’s walkability.

Seattle’s most walkable neighborhoods include Downtown, Belltown, and the International District. These locations continue to offer excellent public transportation, bike trails, and open public areas – all thanks to the residents’ healthy activism for walkability.

8. Miami, FL

What makes Miami different from other cities on this list is its dynamic approach to walkability. Each month, the city shuts down major roads to motorists while keeping them open to pedestrians and cyclists only.

And aside from this regular monthly event, the neighborhood streets of this populous metropolitan area are also walk-friendly. Some of the most walk-friendly neighborhoods in Miami include Little Havana, Wynwood-Edgewater, and Downtown. Art-deco architecture lines up the street sidewalk to further encourage beachgoers to walk around.

Miami ranked high on the list of most walkable cities in the US because of the abundance of small urban meccas scattered across the city. Each of these meccas is pedestrian-friendly with proximity to child care centers, restaurants, parks, and medical facilities.

City projects such as the Underline are still in progress to create open-air gyms, gardens, and walking paths under the Metrorail.

9. Long Beach, CA

Long Beach offers a walkable area just outside of Los Angeles and has been attracting more residents recently. People interested in going car-free in SoCal are the major driving force behind this growing population.

Some of the walk-friendly neighborhoods in Long Beach are Saint Mary, the Franklin School, and Downtown. They offer plenty of restaurants to explore as well as vibrant shops.

Long Beach is a walker’s paradise spanning Alamitos Beach and Bluff Heights. The funky collection of shops and dining establishments helped create a distinctive and attractive appeal known as the “Retro Row.”

If the neighboring cities of your project already have walkable neighborhoods, you can use the same approach to attract more residents. Create distinctive hubs along the walking path similar to Long Beach’s Retro Row.

10. Portland, OR

It’s never too late to convert any municipality into a walkable city, as shown by the city of Portland. A few years ago, Portland was almost devoid of walkability. However, new apartment buildings and neighborhoods helped create walkable communities – even helping Portland become part of the list of the most walkable cities in the US.

The Pearl District is one of the best neighborhoods to explore. You will find numerous galleries, restaurants, and breweries in the area. Pedestrians – both residents and tourists – enjoy the bustling section of northwest Portland because everything is in close proximity to each other.

11. Chicago, IL

Chicago – the third-largest metropolitan area in the United States – has a population of almost three million. Thanks to its robust public transportation system, the city is able to accommodate the mobility requirements of its people. And despite its large number of residents, pedestrian fatalities were only 151 in 2020.

The 606, the city’s biggest project, immensely improved walkability of several neighborhoods in one go. Connecting several of Chicago’s trendiest neighborhoods, the 606 sits above abandoned railway tracks in a similar concept as that of New York’s Highline.

With nearly three miles of open green space connecting four neighborhoods and parks, the 606 offers new shortcuts to work as well as a place for the community to interact.

Still, the city continues to improve its services by elevating the walkability of its neighborhoods. One such project, Vision Zero, is all about helping to eliminate traffic crashes that can be fatal to pedestrians.

12. Minneapolis, MN

The combination of excellent public transportation options, artistic murals, and beautiful landscape make Minneapolis a natural walkable city.

The central city area caters to bikers well and offers people a lot of options to commute. However, other neighborhoods outside of Lowry Hill East, Downtown West, and Lyn-Lake, still need to catch up.

Fortunately, Walkable Community Workshops are already well on their way to expanding walkability in the rest of Minneapolis and beyond. The driving force behind this is to combat the rising obesity among residents. Walkable Community Workshops aim to improve street safety and walkability not just in the city but across the state, ultimately improving the residents’ overall health.

13. Denver, CO

Denver continues to rise in the ranks of the most walk-friendly cities in the US because of the Foot Traffic Ahead program, which started in 2019. Some of the best neighborhoods enjoying convenient public transportation, dining, and entertainment options are Downtown, Five Points, and Capitol Hill.

The backdrop of the Rockies already gave Denver a substantial advantage. That is why all they have to do is adjust their infrastructure accordingly. To do this, they reimagined their city’s structure by moving away from the urban sprawl and introducing a more creative design.

One such monumental move was to transform the Lower Downtown (LoDo) into a historic district. As a result, a development boom ensued and continues even up to the present.

The combination of historical and pragmatic establishments makes LoDo a walker’s paradise. For instance, Union Station is not only a major transportation hub rich in history but is also where most entertainment, shopping, and dining options converge.

Be Inspired with the Nation’s Top Walk-Friendly Cities

Walkability in America sometimes comes with a cost – which is higher rent and what seems like an ever-increasing cost of living. However, you can’t deny the benefits it brings as well. Not only do walkable cities reduce carbon emissions, but they bring health and happiness to residents, all while boosting the local economy. So before you ask for another road, make sure to explore a walkable neighborhood first, you might like what you find!