Walk Score, a Seattle-based company that measures the walkability of neighborhoods around the U.S., just released its annual ranking of the top 50 walkable cities late last week. Coming in at #6 is our very own Seattle, just behind East Coast cities like New York and Chicago; San Francisco, ranked at #2, is the only other West Coast city in the top 5.
While it’s no secret that Wedgwood is one of the most walkable neighborhoods within Seattle, read on to learn more about Walk Score and its methodology…. Then refresh your memory of the Vision Plan to see how Wedgwood plans on keeping its title of one of the city’s most walkable neighborhoods!
How Walk Score Works
Walk Score is a number between 0 and 100 that measures the walkability of any address. Their rating system is as follows:
90–100 Walker’s Paradise — Daily errands do not require a car.
70–89 Very Walkable — Most errands can be accomplished on foot.
50–69 Somewhat Walkable — Some amenities within walking distance.
25–49 Car-Dependent — A few amenities within walking distance.
0–24 Car-Dependent — Almost all errands require a car.
What’s the Significance?
According to Walk Score, walkable neighborhoods offer surprising benefits to the environment, our health, our finances, and our communities. This isn’t a surprise for many of us here in Wedgwood, but here are some additional great facts about why walking matters:
Health: The average resident of a walkable neighborhood weighs 6-10 pounds less than someone who lives in a sprawling neighborhood.1
Finances: One point of Walk Score is worth up to $3,000 of value for your property. Read the research report.
Communities: Studies show that for every 10 minutes a person spends in a daily car commute, time spent in community activities falls by 10%.