The US Cities Where As Many as 20% of People Walk To Work

Nationwide, just 2.4% of Americans walk to work. While walking to work is a rare privilege in the car-centric United States, in some cities more than 20% of the workforce regularly commutes to work by foot.

Cities with the most pedestrian commuting activity tend to have compact downtowns, large college campuses, or tourist-driven economies. In some instances, high shares of workers commuting by foot may indicate housing affordability constraints or limited transit options. In most cities, high rates of pedestrian commuters suggest that the city has maintained a pedestrian-scale urban core that reduces dependence on vehicles for short trips.

Of the 40 cities where the most people walk to work, four are in the New York metro area, and four are in the Boston metro area. Some 18 cities are in the Northeast. The West and Midwest are each home to eight, while the South is home to six. While many of the cities on the list are suburbs of major metro areas, several exist outside of metropolitan statistical areas altogether.

Walkable cities tend to be more desirable and have high incomes and home values. In 29 of the 40 cities with the largest shares of workers walking to work, the median home value is greater than the $303,400 national figure. A closer look at the data reveals the cities where the most people walk to work.

To determine where the most people walk to work, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed five-year data from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey. Cities were ranked based on the percentage of employed residents 16 years and over who walk to work as their primary means of commuting. Supplemental data on workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit, workers 16 years and over commuting via car, workers commuting outside their city of residence, median household income, median home value, and population are also from the U.S. Census Bureau. Only cities with at least 25,000 residents were considered.

40. Wellesley, MA

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 10.6%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 4.9%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 53.0%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 51.6%
Median household income: N/A
Median home value: $1,513,400
Total population: 29,906

39. Monsey, NY

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 10.7%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 6.9%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 63.6%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 64.4%
Median household income: $49,095
Median home value: $829,700
Total population: 27,787

38. Blacksburg, VA

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 10.8%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 6.6%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 60.5%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 20.5%
Median household income: $48,070
Median home value: $417,200
Total population: 45,288

37. Lancaster, PA

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 10.9%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 4.4%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 72.7%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 61.4%
Median household income: $63,421
Median home value: $203,700
Total population: 57,683

36. Evanston, IL

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 10.9%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 13.0%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 46.1%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 50.6%
Median household income: $95,766
Median home value: $472,300
Total population: 76,552

35. Bloomington, IN

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 11.0%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 3.7%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 65.4%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 18.9%
Median household income: $48,918
Median home value: $289,700
Total population: 78,791

34. Passaic, NJ

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 11.3%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 13.0%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 65.5%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 69.9%
Median household income: $56,780
Median home value: $406,500
Total population: 69,651

33. Union City, NJ

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 11.4%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 35.4%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 42.1%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 78.2%
Median household income: $65,369
Median home value: $446,800
Total population: 66,375

32. Portland, ME

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 11.5%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 2.7%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 62.1%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 36.1%
Median household income: $76,174
Median home value: $452,600
Total population: 68,505

31. New Haven, CT

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 12.0%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 6.9%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 65.5%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 45.8%
Median household income: $53,771
Median home value: $249,000
Total population: 132,893

30. Morgantown, WV

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 12.3%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 2.2%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 71.1%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 42.9%
Median household income: $42,245
Median home value: $238,200
Total population: 30,273

29. Charlottesville, VA

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 12.8%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 5.5%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 58.7%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 38.3%
Median household income: $69,829
Median home value: $448,400
Total population: 45,863

28. Ann Arbor, MI

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 13.1%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 7.3%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 50.6%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 27.6%
Median household income: $81,089
Median home value: $435,100
Total population: 121,179

27. Newark, DE

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 13.5%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 2.4%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 64.5%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 51.2%
Median household income: $71,373
Median home value: $357,600
Total population: 30,309

26. Berkeley, CA

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 13.5%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 15.8%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 31.2%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 43.7%
Median household income: $108,558
Median home value: $1,351,100
Total population: 120,223

25. Boston, MA

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 13.8%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 24.0%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 39.4%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 24.3%
Median household income: $94,755
Median home value: $710,400
Total population: 663,972

24. Iowa City, IA

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 14.0%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 6.7%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 63.6%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 26.9%
Median household income: $57,533
Median home value: $273,600
Total population: 75,264

23. New Brunswick, NJ

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 14.1%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 4.6%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 55.3%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 70.8%
Median household income: $60,248
Median home value: $316,800
Total population: 55,744

22. Bremerton, WA

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 14.1%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 7.7%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 66.5%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 46.9%
Median household income: $74,399
Median home value: $409,500
Total population: 44,531

21. Twentynine Palms, CA

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 14.2%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 0.0%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 76.2%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 18.4%
Median household income: $56,000
Median home value: $238,400
Total population: 28,738

20. Urbana, IL

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 14.7%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 7.1%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 58.7%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 43.1%
Median household income: $45,854
Median home value: $186,300
Total population: 38,447

19. Pullman, WA

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 14.7%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 4.8%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 67.5%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 18.3%
Median household income: $45,097
Median home value: $401,700
Total population: 31,939

18. Jacksonville, NC

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 14.8%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 0.2%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 72.8%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 11.8%
Median household income: $54,069
Median home value: $191,700
Total population: 73,507

17. Rexburg, ID

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 15.0%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 0.3%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 71.2%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 23.6%
Median household income: $50,359
Median home value: $384,000
Total population: 39,589

16. Brookline, MA

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 15.2%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 20.1%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 31.4%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 64.4%
Median household income: $140,631
Median home value: $1,233,100
Total population: 62,822

15. College Park, MD

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 15.3%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 6.9%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 56.9%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 57.7%
Median household income: $74,867
Median home value: $429,000
Total population: 34,397

14. Atlantic City, NJ

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 16.0%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 20.7%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 53.1%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 39.0%
Median household income: $36,220
Median home value: $189,600
Total population: 38,486

13. Burlington, VT

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 16.2%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 5.3%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 55.8%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 38.6%
Median household income: $68,854
Median home value: $400,200
Total population: 44,649

12. Columbia, SC

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 16.4%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 1.4%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 69.8%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 31.2%
Median household income: $55,653
Median home value: $243,500
Total population: 138,019

11. Moscow, ID

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 17.6%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 0.2%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 69.6%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 24.8%
Median household income: $56,497
Median home value: $352,000
Total population: 25,868

10. East Lansing, MI

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 18.3%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 5.9%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 52.2%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 37.9%
Median household income: $43,547
Median home value: $251,600
Total population: 45,394

9. Cambridge, MA

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 19.3%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 19.4%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 24.0%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 41.9%
Median household income: $126,469
Median home value: $1,040,500
Total population: 117,794

8. Princeton, NJ

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 20.0%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 6.7%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 35.5%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 35.4%
Median household income: $184,113
Median home value: $1,040,400
Total population: 30,451

7. Kiryas Joel, NY

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 20.2%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 10.1%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 53.0%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 50.4%
Median household income: $43,171
Median home value: $685,800
Total population: 36,572

6. North Chicago, IL

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 21.7%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 1.4%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 54.9%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 39.0%
Median household income: $56,815
Median home value: $147,800
Total population: 30,772

5. Amherst Town, MA

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 21.8%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 8.2%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 47.8%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 34.1%
Median household income: $65,938
Median home value: $454,000
Total population: 35,472

4. Fort Hood, TX

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 22.4%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 0.6%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 64.7%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 8.5%
Median household income: $59,661
Median home value: N/A
Total population: 25,786

3. Ithaca, NY

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 23.7%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 11.0%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 35.0%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 26.4%
Median household income: $48,617
Median home value: $330,100
Total population: 31,792

2. West Lafayette, IN

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 24.5%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 5.6%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 52.7%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 31.0%
Median household income: $33,497
Median home value: $318,100
Total population: 44,802

1. State College, PA

Workers 16 years and over commuting via walking: 26.8%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via public transit: 8.2%
Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 47.0%
Workers commuting outside city of residence: 41.5%
Median household income: $47,132
Median home value: $414,400
Total population: 40,669