Why Walk Scores Don’t Tell the Whole Story

Early research from the Leeds School of Business reveals the limits of ‘walk scores,’ a metric often used by real estate websites to indicate the walkability of a neighborhood. The trouble with typical walk scores, explains Katy Marquardt Hill in an article for CU Boulder Today, is that they measure the proximity of stores, cafes, and parks — but not how comfortable or safe the walk there actually is.

To assess what makes people choose to walk or not walk to a destination, researchers studied anonymized travel data, tracking where people start and end their trips. “The way neighborhood amenities are arranged also influences whether people choose to walk, the researchers found. In already walkable neighborhoods, spreading shops and restaurants throughout several streets makes walking more enjoyable. In less walkable areas, clustering amenities along a single “main street” creates an attraction and encourages people to walk.”

According to Marquardt, “The findings have practical implications for urban planners, real estate developers and city officials.” They show that “targeted improvements like adding amenities along certain streets, improving pedestrian experience by adding trees or benches, or carefully locating parks, can make walking a more attractive option and potentially shift residents away from driving for short trips.” Seeing how people actually move through a city can help planners design places where people actually want to live. According to one lead researcher, “Designing a neighborhood should be human-centric. It’s not just about the map—it’s about the experience.”