Survey Says: U.S. Homebuyers, Especially Gen Z, Want Walkable Neighborhoods

Generation Z is leading a new push toward walkable communities, according to a recent survey by the National Association of Realtors.

1 minute read

July 3, 2023, 7:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Pedestrians and Walkable Street

Nicole S Glass / Shutterstock

American homebuyers have a strong preference for homes in walkable neighborhoods, according to the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) recently published “2023 Community and Transportation Preferences Survey.”

“Seventy-nine percent of respondents rate walkability as “very” or “somewhat” important, and 78% say they’d pay more for a home in a walkable community, the survey shows,” according to an article by Realtor Magazine that shares details about the survey’s findings. “Young adults prioritize walkability the most, with 90% of Gen Z and millennial respondents indicating they’d pay more for a home in a walkable community; a third say they’d ‘pay a lot more.’”

The survey also debunks a common narrative that the pandemic revealed a preference for the automobile dependent neighborhoods of sprawl. “Walkability became more of a focus during the COVID-19 pandemic, but demand has only grown since,” according to the article. Still, despite those reported preferences, domestic migration trends show population declining in many of the country’s more urban areas, with more people arriving on the outskirts of metropolitan areas.

More details about the survey and its findings are available at the NAR website.

An infographic detailing findings of the 2023 Community and Transportation Preferences Survey.
Findings from the NAR 2023 Community and Transportation Preference Survey (Image courtesy of NAR and the Realtor Party)

 

Tuesday, June 27, 2023 in Realtor Magazine

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

U-Haul truck on road with blurred grassy roadside in background.

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?

Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

March 27, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Rusty abandoned oil well and equipment with prickly pear cactus next to it in West Texas.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage

Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

March 31, 2025 - Pennsylvania State University

People sitting and walking in plaza in front of historic Benton County Courthouse in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners

How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.

March 28, 2025 - Emily McCoy

Orange and white vintage-look streetcar on Market Street in San Francisco, CA.

San Francisco’s Muni Ridership Grew in 2024

The system saw its highest ridership since before the Covid-19 pandemic, but faces a severe budget shortage in the coming year.

5 hours ago - San Francisco Chronicle

Green and silver Max BRT bus at station in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Colorado Lawmakers Move to Protect BRT Funding

In the face of potential federal funding cuts, CDOT leaders reasserted their commitment to planned bus rapid transit projects.

6 hours ago - Colorado Public Radio

Low view of separated bike lanes in middle of Pennsylvania Avenue with U.S. Capitol dome visible at end of street at night.

Safe Streets Funding in Jeopardy

The Trump administration is specifically targeting bike infrastructure and other road safety projects in its funding cuts.

7 hours ago - Grist