When we decided to sell our family home in the burbs and buy a townhouse in town, one of our considerations was our walk score.
What’s that, you ask. It is a score based on the walkability of the neighborhood you live in based on how it affects the environment, your health, and your billfold. The premise is that if you are in an area that is close to stores, restaurants, parks, theaters, medical centers, etc. you will be more likely to walk to them rather than drive to them. This will affect the amount of pollution you contribute to the environment with your car, the amount of exercise you get, and the amount of money you spend for the upkeep of your car and the gas it needs.
A website, www.walkscore.com has been created, and just by typing in your address, you can determine your walk score. One hundred is the top score you can get.
(Janette’s townhouse exterior)
For instance, our former house had a walk score of 43 out of 100. Not so great. In fact, it flunks. Our new place has a walk score of 86. That is a great improvement. Lexington’s average score is 49, which is really low.
(Jordan’s 1928 bungalow)
Jordan’s house is located in a charming neighborhood in the city of Syracuse, NY, and her walk score is 51. That isn’t so great. Syracuse beats Lexington on its average, though, with a score of 69. I know that Jordan and Mr. Spring are constantly walking to events at the nearby university, bought snow shoes to deal with the winter storms they had this year, and just ordered cruiser bikes for going to work and for their errands. So, despite what their score says, they are living as if it is higher.
Let’s look at some popular locations and check out their scores:
Times Square’s walk score is 100.
The walk score for the famous “Painted Ladies” houses in San Francisco is 92.
Recognize this iconic exterior? It’s the Brady Bunch’s house. Their walk score is 83.
I am surprised on this one. Trump Tower’s walk score is only 97. I say only because I am surprised, with the prices they cost, that the score isn’t over 100. Afterall, doesn’t Donald Trump do everything over the top?
And last, but not least, the most popular address is the country did not score a perfect 100. Nope, the White House weighs in at 97.
I hope you enjoyed learning about walk scores. Now, it”s your turn. Go to www.walkscore.com and look up your score. Be sure to let us know what it is.
Take care.
Images not already identified were taken from Google, Tristantom.com, Gary Wayne at Seeing-Stars, and Destination 360.
