Is SafeStreets really free?

Yes. All core features are completely free with no sign-up required: walkability score, PersonaCards, 12 metrics, 15-minute city analysis, neighborhood intelligence, and compare mode. We use open government data (Sentinel-2, EPA, US Census, CDC, FEMA, OpenStreetMap). Works in 190+ countries with unlimited searches. Moving Intelligence ($49 one-time) adds school route safety, commute analysis, and more for families who are relocating.

What makes SafeStreets different from other walkability tools?

Most walkability tools give a single number with no breakdown. SafeStreets measures actual street conditions: tree canopy shade via Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, street design quality via EPA National Walkability Index, CDC health outcomes (obesity, diabetes, asthma rates by neighborhood), FEMA flood zone classification, terrain slope via NASADEM, and real-time air quality. SafeStreets also provides PersonaCards that answer specific lifestyle questions (car-free?, safe for kids?, aging in place?). It is completely free with no sign-up required.

What are PersonaCards?

PersonaCards are the key differentiator of SafeStreets. They answer three real-life questions people have when choosing a neighborhood: 'Can I go car-free here?' (verdict: Yes/Borderline/Unlikely), 'Is it safe for kids to walk?' (verdict: Yes/Borderline/Unlikely), and 'Is it good for aging in place?' (verdict: Yes/Borderline/Unlikely). Each verdict is computed from the relevant sub-scores and shown with a plain-language explanation of why.

How do I interpret the walkability score?

SafeStreets scores range from 0-10 with six tiers: Pedestrian-first (9.3-10.0) is the rare top band for places genuinely built around walking; Very walkable (8.3-9.2) means most daily needs are accessible on foot with strong pedestrian infrastructure; Walkable (7.0-8.2) means walking covers most everyday trips and a car-light life is realistic; Moderate (5.5-6.9) means walking is viable but some car trips are still needed; Car-dependent (3.5-5.4) means a car is required for most daily needs; Hostile (0-3.4) means basic pedestrian safety infrastructure is missing. The composite score combines four weighted components: Daily Reach (40%), Street Safety (30%), Transit Reach (15%), and Walking Comfort (15%).

What data sources does SafeStreets use?

SafeStreets uses research-grade open data: Sentinel-2 satellite imagery from ESA (tree canopy, 10m resolution), OpenStreetMap (street network, sidewalks, transit, amenities), EPA National Walkability Index (intersection density, land use mix), US Census ACS (commute patterns, demographics), CDC PLACES (health outcomes by neighborhood), FEMA NFHL (flood zone classification), NASADEM (terrain slope, ADA accessibility), and Open-Meteo CAMS (real-time air quality, PM2.5, AQI). All four scoring components work worldwide using OSM-based proxies for US-specific data sources.

Does SafeStreets work outside the US?

Yes. All four scoring components (Daily Reach, Street Safety, Transit Reach, Walking Comfort) work globally in 190+ countries. International addresses use OSM-based proxies for EPA and Census data, so scores are comparable worldwide. US addresses get enhanced Neighborhood Intelligence (Census ACS commute data, CDC health outcomes, FEMA flood risk). All addresses receive the full walkability score, PersonaCards, 15-minute city analysis, street network analysis, and all 12 metrics.

What is the 15-minute city score?

The 15-minute city score (called Daily Reach in the SafeStreets framework, weighted at 50% of the composite) measures walking access to seven service categories within 15 minutes: grocery, healthcare, education, recreation, dining, shopping, and civic. Each category is scored individually and a composite access score is shown. The analysis uses OpenStreetMap data and works worldwide.

Does SafeStreets have an API or platform offering?

Yes. SafeStreets Intelligence builds custom street intelligence dashboards and decisioning workflows for governments, real estate developers, mobility operators, and research institutions. The platform includes API access, custom metric weights, GIS-compatible export, white-label deployment, and workflow automation. Pricing is custom based on geography and deployment scope. Visit safestreets.streetsandcommons.com/platform to learn more.

What is a good walkability score?

On the SafeStreets 0-10 scale, a score of 9.3-10.0 is Pedestrian-first: the rare top band for places genuinely built around walking. A score of 8.3-9.2 is Very walkable: most daily needs are accessible on foot with strong pedestrian infrastructure. A score of 7.0-8.2 is Walkable: walking covers most everyday trips and a car-light life is realistic. A score of 5.5-6.9 is Moderate: walking is viable but some car trips are still needed. A score of 3.5-5.4 is Car-dependent: a car is required for most daily needs. A score below 3.5 is Hostile: basic pedestrian safety infrastructure is missing.

How is walkability measured?

SafeStreets measures walkability using four weighted components. Daily Reach (40%) scores 15-minute-walk access to seven essential categories: grocery, healthcare, education, recreation, dining, shopping, civic. Street Safety (30%) measures crossing density, pedestrian separation, speed exposure, and sidewalk quality. Transit Reach (15%) measures transit stop density, route diversity, and multi-modal bonus, powered by Transitland GTFS with OSM fallback. Walking Comfort (15%) measures tree canopy via Sentinel-2 satellite, slope, air quality, and heat stress. Reality caps reduce scores when speeds are dangerous or destinations sparse, a hostile-streets cap holds stroads in the car-dependent range, and a Pedestrian-first gate reserves the top band for places with genuine pedestrian infrastructure.

How does walkability affect property values?

Research consistently shows that walkable neighborhoods command a property value premium. Studies by the Brookings Institution and others have found that homes in walkable neighborhoods sell for 4-24% more than comparable homes in car-dependent areas. Higher walkability is associated with lower transportation costs, better health outcomes, and stronger local retail economies. SafeStreets provides free walkability scores to help homebuyers and real estate professionals evaluate any address.

What makes a street safe for pedestrians?

Pedestrian safety depends on several measurable factors: low vehicle speeds (streets under 30 km/h are dramatically safer), short crossing distances, presence of marked crosswalks and pedestrian signals, adequate sidewalk coverage on both sides, street lighting, and separation from high-speed traffic. SafeStreets measures these through its Safety and Environmental Comfort components, including speed environment analysis, crossing infrastructure, and street lighting coverage.

How do I check walkability before moving to a new neighborhood?

Use SafeStreets to analyze any address for free. Enter the address and get a 0-10 walkability score with PersonaCards that answer 'Can I go car-free here?', 'Is it safe for kids to walk?', and 'Is it good for aging in place?' Review the 15-minute city analysis to check access to groceries, schools, parks, transit, and pharmacies. Use Compare Mode to evaluate up to 4 addresses side-by-side. For families relocating, the Moving Intelligence add-on ($49 one-time) provides school route safety analysis and commute analysis.

What is the difference between SafeStreets and Walk Score?

SafeStreets uses satellite imagery (Sentinel-2 tree canopy), government health data (CDC PLACES), flood risk (FEMA), real-time air quality (Open-Meteo CAMS), and street network analysis (betweenness centrality, dead-end ratio) in addition to destination proximity. Walk Score primarily measures proximity to amenities. SafeStreets also provides PersonaCards (car-free, kids, aging verdicts), 15-minute city analysis, and Neighborhood Intelligence with CDC health outcomes. SafeStreets is completely free with no sign-up required and works in 190+ countries.

What are the most walkable cities in the United States?

The most walkable US cities based on pedestrian infrastructure, transit access, and destination density include New York City, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Portland, Seattle, and Minneapolis. SafeStreets provides free walkability guides for 20+ major US cities at safestreets.streetsandcommons.com/walkability, where you can analyze any specific address within these cities.

Can SafeStreets analyze walkability for international addresses?

Yes. SafeStreets works in 190+ countries using global data sources: Sentinel-2 satellite imagery for tree canopy, OpenStreetMap for street networks and amenities, Open-Meteo CAMS for air quality, Transitland GTFS for transit, and NASADEM for terrain. International addresses receive all four scoring components (Daily Reach, Street Safety, Transit Reach, Walking Comfort) using OSM-based proxies for US-specific data sources like EPA and Census. Scores are comparable across countries.

What is a commercial desert?

A commercial desert is a residential neighborhood that is walkable and dense enough to support local retail but has almost no commercial activity within walking distance. A SafeStreets analysis of 34,309 US neighborhoods identified 81 census block groups that are dense, affordable, and walkable on infrastructure measures but where residents must drive several miles for groceries, pharmacies, or basic services.

How were commercial deserts identified?

Three filters were applied to every US Census block group: EPA National Walkability Index above 11 (top quintile for street design), population density above 4,000 per square mile, and median home value below the national median. Then OpenStreetMap was queried within a 1-kilometer radius for commercial points of interest. Block groups with fewer than three commercial POIs were classified as commercial deserts.

Why do walkable neighborhoods end up without businesses?

The most common cause is single-use residential zoning that bans ground-floor retail. Walkable street grids built before 1950 often had corner stores and mixed-use buildings; mid-century zoning rewrites prohibited them. The infrastructure still rewards walking, but the destinations are gone. Other causes include large-lot conversions, parking minimums that block small storefronts, and superblock public-housing layouts that exclude commercial frontage by design.

What is the fix for a commercial desert?

The fix is zoning reform that re-legalizes neighborhood retail: allow ground-floor commercial as of right on residential streets above a density threshold, remove or sharply reduce parking minimums for small businesses, and permit accessory commercial units in the same way many cities now permit accessory dwelling units. The infrastructure for walking is already there; the policy block is the missing piece.

The Commercial Desert, 81 Walkable, Affordable US Neighborhoods Without Businesses

81 US neighborhoods that are walkable, dense, and affordable but have almost no commercial activity. Analysis of 34,309 neighborhoods using EPA Walkability Index, ACS, and OSM data.

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