Ever wonder how your walk score is calculated, read below to find out!

You may have seen the term ‘Walk Score’ used to describe the walk-ability of different condo addresses and similar real estate residences. The number assigned to a building isn’t random, either. There’s an intensive methodology behind walk scores in real estate.

How do you calculate a walk score?

The simplest means of understanding how walk scores are calculated is to acknowledge the dozens – and sometimes hundreds – of walking routes to nearby amenities. The purpose of a walk score is to determine pedestrian friendliness of a surrounding neighbourhood or property. Amenities within a 5-minute walk are given the most points while no points are given for any amenities beyond a 30-minute walk.

What does my walk score mean?

Walk scores fall into five distinct categories. Though Toronto is one of Canada’s most walk-able cities, there are properties that fall under every category of walk score below.

90 – 100 Walker’s Paradise

70 – 89 Very Walk-able

50 – 69 Somewhat Walk-able

25 – 49 Car Dependent

0 – 24 Car Dependent

What are the benefits of a high walk score?

A high walk score means you have a healthy amount of amenities within walking distance. Convenience at your fingertips, a high walk score contributes to property values in a big way because it makes the day-to-day easier. When you have grocery stores, entertainment, restaurants, schools, and healthcare nearby, it means you don’t have to travel by TTC or car elsewhere in Toronto.

There are numerous other benefits to a high walk score as well. Studies have found that people living in walk-able neighbourhoods tend to weigh 6-10 pounds less. Walk-able neighbourhoods are also found to have happier and healthier people in them, boasts shorter commutes, reduces stress, and increases community involvement. Needless to say, a high walk score isn’t a bad advantage to have whether you’re investing in a property or living in it.

Development in Toronto has soared in recent years, resulting in more neighbourhoods and properties achieving high walk scores. Why a walk score is important is because the future of planning in Toronto is based around the development of communities where people can live, work, and play without travelling long distances. The more amenities a property has in close distance, the more services there are to keep people happy and healthy.

Toronto continues moving towards one day being a car-independent city but in some neighbourhoods, especially downtown, this is already the reality. Whether you intend to sell your Toronto property in the next five years or not, walk scores work in your favour and are something every buyer can rely on to help calculate market value.