Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Department of Health & Mental Hygiene

Poor NYC Neighborhoods “Less Conducive to Walking” Than They Appear

A fact sheet [PDF] released by the city's health department today makes the case that New York City's walkability contributes to the health of residents -- but a deeper look into the research shows that not all New Yorkers are benefitting equally from walkable neighborhoods.

The more walkable your NYC neighborhood, the more likely you are to engage in physical activity. Image: DOHMH
The more walkable your neighborhood, the more likely you are to engage in physical activity. Image: DOHMH
The more walkable your NYC neighborhood, the more likely you are to engage in physical activity. Image: DOHMH

The brief draws on recent data from two sources: Research by Columbia University academics on the walkability of the city's neighborhoods and the health department's own survey of 3,800 New Yorkers about physical activity and transit.

The Columbia researchers measured walkability using five components: Residential density, density of street intersections and subway stops, land use mix, and an estimate of the prevalence of large retail parking lots. The health department tracked the health and transportation behaviors of New Yorkers through surveys, accelerometers, and GPS devices. By looking at the two datasets together, the bottom line became clear: "Physical activity levels were substantially higher in people living in higher-walkability neighborhoods," the report says.

People in the most walkable neighborhoods averaged 233 minutes of moderate physical activity per week, burning 1,200 calories, while people living in the least walkable areas averaged 134 minutes of activity per week, burning only 690 calories.

The Columbia academics, based in the university's Built Environment and Health Research Group, dove deeper by adding income to the equation. Matching places with the same walkability scores, they compared neighborhoods where at least 20 percent of the residents live in poverty with neighborhoods where fewer than 20 percent of residents live in poverty.

Map: DOHMH
Map: DOHMH
Map: DOHMH

Despite having the same walkability scores, poorer neighborhoods had lower physical activity rates than the wealthier counterparts. The researchers visited the neighborhoods and weighed more fine-grained factors to determine walkability, including car crash rates, number of street trees, sidewalk width, and measures of street life like sidewalk cafes and street vendors.

Poorer neighborhoods had fewer street trees and a higher density of car-pedestrian crashes than wealthier neighborhoods, and were less attractive places for residents to walk than the density-based scores would otherwise suggest.

"Low-income urban neighborhoods are less conducive to walking than they would appear to be if we considered only population density, land use mix, and other indicators," the researchers said. The researchers suggest that the city concentrate streetscape and sanitation efforts in low-income communities to encourage residents of otherwise-walkable communities to walk more often.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Beach Reading: Zohran Mamdani’s Answers to Streetsblog’s Mayoral Candidate Survey

Spend the holiday weekend with Zohran Mamdani's answers to Streetsblog's mayoral candidate questionnaire.

July 4, 2025

Friday Video: Why NYC Needs ‘Low-Traffic Neighborhoods’

London's Church Street, like so many of our business corridors, was choking on cars — until the advent of the low-traffic neighborhood.

July 4, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: E-Bikes in Parks … Permanently Edition

The Parks Department will permanently allow e-bikes in city parks following a two-year pilot. Plus more news.

July 4, 2025

Anti-Miracle On 34th Street: Adams Administration Pauses Work On 34th Street Busway

The highly-anticipated 34th Street busway may not happen under Mayor Adams after all, sources said.

July 3, 2025

Manhattan DA Says Alleged Central Park Hit-and-Run Cyclist Didn’t Flee, Drops Charges

Prosecutors said the 30-year-old cyclist "remained on the scene for about 45 minutes after the crash and waited for paramedics to arrive to treat the injured person."

Sean Duffy’s ‘Great America Road Trip’ Wants You to Drive to Central Park

Sean Duffy's "Great American Road Trip" encourages Americans to drive to sites in the most transit-rich and car-choked parts of the country.

July 3, 2025
See all posts