10 walker paradises

1. New York

New York might seem like a safe bet for the most walkable city in America, and in fact it tops this year's list. In Walk Score's previous rankings in 2008, the Big Apple came in second behind San Francisco. What held it back? Some of the outer boroughs.

"Staten Island is part of New York City, and it is not particularly walkable," says Matt Lerner, Walk Score's chief technology officer. "So that brings the city's score down a bit."

Since 2008, though, industrial areas in Brooklyn and the city's other boroughs have been transformed into densely packed residential neighborhoods with stores, restaurants and other amenities within easy walking distance of apartments and condos.

Score: New York has a Walk Score of 85.3, and 90% of the city's residents live in a neighborhood with a score of 70 or higher. Little Italy, SoHo, NoHo, Greenwich Village and the Flatiron District all have scores of 100.

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2. San Francisco

Geography is one of the things that make San Francisco well-suited to pedestrians, despite its steep hills. Because the city is on a peninsula, it has not had room to sprawl into a more car-oriented metropolis. As a result, the city's iconic Victorian houses are packed as tightly together as New York City's brownstones.

Density matters, Lerner says, because for most people, a neighborhood is walkable only if stores and other destinations are within a quarter-mile, or about a five-minute walk, from their homes.

"If you have to walk 20 minutes to get a cup of coffee, the round trip — by the time you wait in line, get what you want and pay for it — could take an hour," Lerner says. "That's more time than most people are willing to spend."

Score: San Francisco has a Walk Score of 84.9, and 88% of the city's residents live in a neighborhood with a score of 70 or higher. San Francisco's most walkable neighborhoods are Chinatown, Walk Score of 99; the financial district, 98; the Tenderloin, 98; and downtown, 98.

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3. Boston

As one the oldest cities in the United States, Boston qualifies as highly walkable for the same reason many other historic areas do: Many of its neighborhoods were laid out before cars existed.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's commuter trains, subways, buses and boats also help Boston achieve a high score.

"More public-transit options means more places you can get without a car," Herst says.

Score: Boston has a Walk Score of 79.2, and 79% of Boston residents live in a neighborhood with a score of 70 or above. Only 1% live in car-dependent areas. The most walkable neighborhoods are Haymarket, 100; Bay Village, 98; Chinatown, 97; and Beacon Hill, 97. The least walkable are Long Island, 0; West Roxbury, 59; and Mattapan, 63.

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4. Chicago

Chicago is more of a mixed bag than cities such as New York and San Francisco when it comes to walkability, Walk Score's figures show.

The Windy City's central neighborhoods are quite walkable and well-served by the elevated train, or "L," which the Chicago Transit Authority says is part of the nation's second-largest public-transit system, after New York's.

Neighborhoods near Chicago's outer boundaries are less walkable, however.

Score: Chicago has a Walk Score of 74.3, and 64% of the city's residents live in a neighborhood with a score of 70 or above. Only 3% live in car-dependent neighborhoods. Chicago's most walkable neighborhoods are Printers Row, 99; Near North, 97; and Sheridan Park, 97.

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5. Philadelphia

Another old city, Philadelphia ranks as highly walkable for many of the same reasons as Boston.

"Both have a lot of neighborhoods that were developed before cars became common," Lerner says. "And both have those great row houses and brownstones that allow people to live together in a dense enough way to support local businesses within easy walking distance."

Score: Philadelphia has a Walk Score of 74.1, and 66% of the city's residents live in a neighborhood with a score of 70 or above. Just 4% live in car-dependent areas. Philadelphia's most walkable neighborhoods are Center City West, 97; Center City East, 97; and University City, 93.

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6. Seattle

Like San Francisco, Seattle is a hilly city surrounded by water. It, too, is home to distinct neighborhoods with walkable centers.

One part of town that scored near the top of Walk Score's rankings is South Lake Union, where Microsoft, Amazon and other tech and science companies have offices. The neighborhood, which is linked to downtown and other parts of Seattle by streetcar, is attracting corporate offices for the same reason it attracts residents.

"It's a recruiting issue for these companies," Herst says. "They want to attract millennials, many of whom want to reduce their commutes and have shopping and entertainment right outside their doors."

Score: Seattle has a Walk Score of 73.7, and 62% of the city's residents live in neighborhoods with a score of 70 or above, as opposed to the 10% who live in areas considered car-dependent. Seattle's most walkable neighborhoods are the Denny Triangle, 98; South Lake Union, 97; and Belltown, 97.

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7. Washington, D.C.

Planners in the nation's capital have made walkability a priority, Herst says, and that shows in a recent emphasis on residential development centered on the district's transit hubs. That has helped boost the metropolitan area's Walk Score by a few points since 2008.

Score: Washington has a Walk Score of 73.2, and 58% of the district's residents live in a neighborhood with a score of 70 or higher. An additional 10% live in car-dependent areas. Washington's most walkable neighborhoods are Dupont Circle, 98; West End, 97; and downtown, 96. Its least walkable neighborhoods are Kenilworth, 31; Hawthorne, 32; and Barnaby Woods, 36.

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8. Miami

A newcomer to Walk Score's top 10, Miami makes the cut partly for technical reasons, Lerner says.

"At a certain point in the rankings, the size of a city's boundaries — and how much of its suburbs are within them — starts to have an impact," he says. "Cities (such as Miami) with compact boundaries tend to score better, which is one of the reasons we rank all of the neighborhoods within a city, as well."

Score: Miami has a Walk Score of 72.5, and 63% of the city's residents live in neighborhoods with a score of 70 or above. Just 1% live in car-dependent areas. Miami's most walkable neighborhoods are downtown, 86; Brickell, 83; and Little Havana, 82. Its least walkable neighborhoods are Fair Isle, 46; Liberty City, 58; and Flagami, 66.

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9. Minneapolis

Minneapolis' inclusion in the top 10 might seem surprising, given its harsh winters. "But Minneapolis has a lot of people walking and biking and taking advantage of the city's light rail lines, even when it's cold out," Lerner says.

Minneapolis has a bike-sharing program, with 700 bicycles at 65 kiosks, and the city also rents out bike lockers, including some along streetcar and bus lines.

"Having transportation options is an important part of a walkable lifestyle," Lerner says.

Score: Minneapolis has a Walk Score of 69.3, and 51% of the city's residents live in a neighborhood with a score of 70 or higher. An additional 13% live in car-dependent areas. Minneapolis' most walkable neighborhoods are Downtown West, Loring Park and Lowry Hill East, all of which have a score of 91. Its least walkable neighborhoods are Shingle Creek, 40; Bryn Mawr, 40; and Victory, 44.

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10. Oakland, Calif.

Rounding out the nation's 10 most walkable cities is Oakland. The city is linked to San Francisco and other cities in the region by the Bay Area Rapid Transit, and many of its neighborhoods are pedestrian-friendly, Lerner says.

"Other than up in the hills, where it's more suburban, Oakland is a very walkable city," he says.

Score: Oakland has a Walk Score of 68.2, and 53% of the city's residents live in a neighborhood with a score of 70 or above. An additional 11% live in car-dependent areas. Oakland's most walkable neighborhoods are downtown, 96; Civic Center, 96; and Chinatown, 95. Its least walkable neighborhoods are Skyline-Hillcrest Estates, 16; Forestland, 20; and Caballo Hills, 23.

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