List of Most Walkable Cities in the U.S. Sparks Debate
Most people don't exactly think of walkable cities when they think of the United States. Car culture has infiltrated everyday life in many regions across the country, often leaving public transit and other forms of transportation as secondary backup options rather than the optimal way to get from point A to point B.
A recent list from Condé Nast Traveler outlines what it believes to be the most walkable cities in the U.S., but it hasn't exactly been well-received online. The list was compiled using the EPA's Smart Location Database and the American Enterprise Institute's Walkable Oriented Development Database, both of which are critical metrics that measure walkability based on a number of factors, most notably if people can walk from their homes to essential locations like grocery stores, offices, and gyms. The EPA's criteria also takes urban infrastructure into account, such as the distance between blocks and residents' access to public transportation.
Unsurprisingly, New York City took the top spot thanks to its sprawling transit system and residents' proximity to necessary locations and services. Boston and Washington D.C. follow behind with similar compact city sizes and public transportation networks.
Critics of the list largely wondered why car-centric cities like Houston, Austin, Charlotte, Atlanta, and Los Angeles are even included, given their reputations for reliance on automobiles to get around and traffic at all hours of the day and night.
"L.A. at number 8 really shows how tragic the U.S. is for walkability," one X user wrote. "I have lived in L.A. for a year now and whoever put L.A. in 8 does not know s--t about this place," another said. "The fact it's one below Chicago, a place I grew up in my whole life without a car, is an actual joke."
Others noted the relatively low positioning of Philadelphia and Baltimore, both of which have serviceable public transit networks and compact neighborhood designs.
Next time you plan a trip to one of these cities, consider just how necessary renting a car might actually be.
New York
Boston
Washington, D.C.
Seattle
Portland
San Francisco
Chicago
Los Angeles
Pittsburgh
Philadelphia
Minneapolis–St. Paul
Miami
Charlotte
Austin
Atlanta
Denver
Cleveland
Houston
Columbus
Baltimore
