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Community Design – Walkability Index Score

The National Walkability Index (2021) is a nationwide index score developed by EPA that ranks block groups according to their relative walkability using selected variables on density, diversity of land uses, and proximity to transit from the Smart Location Database. The block groups are assigned their final National Walkability Index scores on a scale of 1 to 20 where the higher a score, the more walkable the community is.

Source

Source Description

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Smart Location Database (SLD) is a nationwide geographic data resource for measuring location efficiency. It includes more than 90 attributes summarizing characteristics such as housing density, diversity of land use, neighborhood design, destination accessibility, transit service, employment, and demographics. Most attributes are available for every census block group in the United States. EPA first released the Smart Location Database in 2011 and released version 2.0 in July 2013 and version 3.0 in May 2021. Please review the user guide for a full description of all available variables, data sources, data currency, and known limitations.

Methodology

This indicator reports information about urban design in terms of street network density. Density is calculated using total street network density (road miles). The denominator in calculation is total block group area (acres). These data are acquired from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Smart Location Database (SLD). Denominator was converted to square miles for consistent reporting. For complete indicator definitions and information about the data sources and analysis contained within the SLD, please review the user guide.

Data Breakouts Available

  • Population Percentages by Tiered National Walkability Index
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