2 of the Most Walkable U.S. Cities are in Texas

Most people wouldn’t associate Texas with walkable cities and for the most part, they would be right. 

Most major cities in the Lone Star State are spread out, making it hard to get by without owning a vehicle. Sure, there are areas within our cities that are walkable like most downtowns, but overall, they’re not very walkable. 

Having grown up in Texas, I was shocked that you could easily walk from one end of Boston to the other the first time I visited back in the 90s. It’s amazing just how much they packed in such a small area.

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So, I wasn’t in the least bit surprised when I saw that Boston was ranked the 2nd most walkable city in the U.S. behind New York City. My understanding is that most people in New York City don’t own cars because it’s so easy to get where you need to go on foot. 

But I was surprised to see that two Texas cities made the Top 20. 

What makes a city walkable? 

Cities are considered walkable when people can easily walk from their residences to get all the amenities they need such as groceries or to pay bills, etc. Having easy access to public transportation is also a key factor for a city to be considered walkable. 

So, if you’re looking for a destination in the Lone Star State that you can easily explore on foot, make the trip to Austin or Houston. Austin was ranked the 14th most walkable city, while Houston came in at Number 18 on the list.