Another look at Philadelphia’s walkability

Philadelphia is one of the most walkable cities in the nation, ranking among the top five metro areas for its walkability. There are plentiful public transportation options, which adds to the high-ranking mark from WalkScore.com

I love walking in Philadelphia, but I find that there are definitely some neighborhoods where I feel more comfortable walking than others. With that thought in mind, I decided to check out the individual walk scores for some of my favorite Philadelphia neighborhoods.

Center City (West and East) – Center City is considered Philly’s most walkable neighborhood – a “Walker’s Paradise” and has a walk score of 97. These are the neighborhoods surrounding Logan Square as well as William Penn Annex West. This is an area where local business and real estate owners have been working to make the visitor and renter experience more positive and palatable due to concerns about crime and safety. New parks, redeveloped plazas and other projects have been part of this effort and a side effect of this work has been to make Center City a better place to walk.

Northern Liberties – Another highly walkable neighborhood, with a walk score of 97. (This got me wondering – what is the most perfectly walkable neighborhood? Is there are score of 100 for places where cars are outlawed?) Only three percent of all Philadelphia residents live in more walkable neighborhoods than the lucky folks in the Northern Liberties. Great nearby places to eat, drink and do business mean you might never have to leave Northern Liberties once you’ve arrived!

Fishtown – Fishtown has a walk score of 89 and plentiful bars, restaurants, shops, schools and easy access to public transportation for your walking convenience. It’s considered the 8^th most walkable neighborhood in Philadelphia. Average rent in the Fishtown area is around $1700.

Yorktown – Less walkable than our other three choices, Yorktown has a walk score of 87, Yorktown is a top spot for younger residents who are often less likely to want to walk from place to place. However, they are more likely to rely on public transportation. There may be fewer walkable resources here, but you can also find slightly less expensive rent than in other parts of the city.

How many of your trips around Philly do you make on your own two feet?

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