Most Americans Live in Car-Dependent Areas
A BestNeighborhood population-weighted analysis finds 75% of Americans live where driving is effectively required for daily needs.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Remote Work
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Do you regularly walk to stores or errands from home instead of driving?
A BestNeighborhood analysis published November 12, 2026 finds 75% of Americans live in car-dependent areas, while only 9% live in walkable areas scoring 70 or higher on its Walk Grade scale. The study weights results by 2020 Census block populations across the United States.
Why it matters
The findings show how widely daily life across the country depends on driving to reach groceries, pharmacies, schools and transit. Walkability gaps vary sharply by metro area, shaping access to everyday services for millions of households.
Walk Grade scores 52% of Americans between 0 and 10 out of 100, while New York leads the 50 largest metros with 47% of residents in walkable areas. Among the largest metros, 22 have at least 80% of residents living in car-dependent areas, and the analysis does not address how these shares are shifting over time.
The players
BestNeighborhood
An organization that publishes neighborhood-level analyses, including the Walk Grade study of walkability across U.S. census blocks.
The details
BestNeighborhood's Walk Grade traces real routes to grocery stores, pharmacies, schools, parks and transit stops along sidewalks, paths and crossings, adding distance for wide, fast roads, loud traffic, missing shade and surface parking. The grid of 66-meter hexagons draws on Overture Maps streets, federal road traffic data and satellite tree canopy, weighted by 2020 Census block populations.
Timeline
2020: Census block populations used to weight the analysis.
November 12, 2026: BestNeighborhood released the walkability analysis.
Remote Work
The car-dependent layout documented by the Walk Grade study shapes how many workers commute to offices, which bears on the remote work shift in the business sector. The analysis does not examine remote work participation, so any link between walkability and remote arrangements remains unmeasured here.
Residents in car-dependent areas face driving costs for routine errands and may find fewer walkable options for commuting. Readers in walkable neighborhoods may have more flexibility in how they reach work and everyday services.
The takeaway
Checking a neighborhood's walkability before choosing where to live or work can clarify how much daily life will depend on a car. Those comparing commute options may find walk access to services a useful factor alongside housing cost.
Further reading
Explore related coverage in Remote Work for how location and commuting shape work arrangements.
More information
Read the full BestNeighborhood Walk Grade study for the complete methodology and city-level results.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Herald Journal.
Live Poll
Do you regularly walk to stores or errands from home instead of driving?
