Walkable Neighborhoods Benefit Property Values

Walkable areas are more prosperous in cities all around the country, a report from Foot Traffic Ahead concludes.

1 minute read

June 27, 2019, 2:00 PM PDT

By Casey Brazeal @northandclark


walkable street

Dewita Soeharjono / Flickr

Walkable areas are more prosperous than non-walkable areas in cities, according to the "Foot Traffic Ahead," report. The connection between density and prosperity might not be a surprise, but the extent of the connection might be surprising. "It’s not a trend confined to coastal cities; it’s on the rise in the Rust Belt, the Sun Belt, tech metropolises, government centers, innovation centers, and millennial magnets,” Patrick Sisson reports for Curbed.

Denser more walkable neighborhoods are continuing to become yet more dense and represent a larger share of the city’s wealth. "In Dallas, a poster child for sprawl, the 38 WalkUPs comprise 0.10 percent of metro land area, but 12 percent of metro GDP," Sisson writes.

Low-density areas with segregated building types lack the flexibility that denser areas have, the report argues, giving more walkable areas an advantage.

Monday, June 24, 2019 in Curbed

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

High-rise apartment buildings in Waikiki, Hawaii with steep green mountains in background.

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss

The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

April 6, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Two yellow and white Dallas Area Rapid Transit light rail streetcars at station in Dallas, Texas.

North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region

At a summit focused on transit-oriented development, policymakers discussed how North Texas’ expanded light rail system can serve as a tool for economic growth.

April 3, 2025 - KERA News

Blue and white Seattle Link light rail train exiting concrete Downtown Bellevue Tunnel in Bellevue, WA.

Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?

Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.

April 7, 2025 - Todd Litman

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

1 hour ago - Inside Climate News

Close-up on cardboard sign reading 'No Kings' being held up at protest at Tesla offices in Brooklyn, New York.

Dear Tesla Driver: “It’s not You, It’s Him.”

Amidst a booming bumper sticker industry, one writer offers solace to those asking, “Does this car make me look fascist?”

3 hours ago - The Globe and Mail

Block packed with Chinese-and English-language marquees and signs in New York City's Chinatown.

A Visual Celebration of Manhattan’s Chinatown Elder Community, Through Food

Lanterns, cafeteria trays, and community connection take center stage in this stunning photo essay.

5 hours ago - Civil Eats