New NAR Survey Finds Americans Value Neighborhood Walkability

A new survey by the National Association of REALTORS® shows that Americans value walkability, mixed-used neighborhoods and a broad range of housing choices. Demand for smart-growth features, such as access to parks, shops, restaurants, schools and workplaces, is real—and many Americans are willing to pay more for them.

“It's clear that Americans place a high value on making sure the place they call home has the amenities they need to lead a happy and healthy life,” said NAR Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer Shannon McGahn. “NAR members know this intuitively, but having hard data like this is an asset in our advocacy efforts at the federal, state, and local level.”

Among noteworthy findings of the survey:

Walkability remains a top priority for homebuyers and residents.

89% say sidewalks and places to walk are important when deciding where to live.
82% say that being within an easy walk of shops and parks is important when deciding where to live.
74% say having a place to walk or exercise a pet is important.
71% say that the places they need to go are too far to walk. The weather (41%) and concerns about safety because of traffic (39%) are other major barriers to walking.

Walkability has real market value.

Nearly two-thirds (63%) say they would be willing to pay more to live in a community where they could easily walk to parks, shops, and restaurants.
When presented with a choice between a larger home site requiring more driving and a smaller lot in a walkable neighborhood, 59% preferred the walkable option.

There is meaningful support for reducing driving trips through community design.

46% of respondents say it should be a high priority for local governments to make it easier to develop communities where people do not have to drive long distances to work or shop. 39% say it should be a middle priority.
Only 15% of respondents think community design that reduces long drives should be a low priority. Support is strongest for practical housing solutions that expand choice.
63% say small-lot single-family homes are a good idea for their communities.
51% support townhomes, duplexes, and other attached housing options.

NAR’s Community and Transportation Preference Survey is a triennial survey of 2,000 residents in America’s 50 largest metropolitan areas to assess their preferences related to NAR’s Smart Growth principals. The complete results can be found at NAR Community and Transportation Preferences Surveys.

About the National Association of REALTORS®

The National Association of REALTORS® is involved in all aspects of residential and commercial real estate. The term REALTOR® is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. For free consumer guides about navigating the homebuying and selling transaction processes—from written buyer agreements to negotiating compensation—visit facts.realtor.