A Collection of Benefits for 'Walkable, Compact, Diverse' Neighborhoods

A review of hundreds of articles and nearly 100 peer-reviewed study finds that compact, walkable neighborhoods "have been found to have significant, positive effects for urban dwellers, in terms of social interaction, health, and safety."

The analysis by Emily Talen and Julia Koschinsky of Arizona State University —Compact, Walkable, Diverse Neighborhoods: Assessing Effects on Residents — was published in the August issue of Housing Policy Debate. Walkable, compact, and diverse (WCD) neighborhoods — Talen and Koschinsky's term — have been heavily studied in recent years, especially in the health field. "Of the 95 examples included in the table, 62 percent were in health journals, 28 percent in planning/design, and 10 percent in transportation," the authors note.