Software company Front Seat has released a ranking of the most walkable U.S. cities, rating the relative distance to and density of businesses like grocery stores, bars, book stores, and coffee shops to calculate an overall walkability score. San Francisco took top honors, followed by New York City, Boston, Chicago, and Philadelphia; the lowest scoring cities were Jacksonville, Fla.; Nashville; Charlotte, N.C.; Indianapolis; and Oklahoma City. The rankings also singled out the nation’s most walkable neighborhoods, with Tribeca, Little Italy, and Soho in NYC placing first. “It’s both healthy for the Earth and for humans to be able to walk to most of the places they need,” said Kate White of the Urban Land Institute. “Your carbon footprint is significantly lower than someone who has to drive everywhere … and you’re able to have real neighborhoods where you’re not totally separated from your neighbors.” People can see their own ‘hood’s walkability score at Walkscore.com.
