Are Americans walking less than Europeans?

As 2023 draws to a close, here at WeWard we are reflecting with gratitude on our U.S. launch and enthusiastic adoption by Americans seeking to boost their physical activity. Along the way, we have aggregated some fascinating data and insights into America’s most walkable cities. We thought we’d share some of these insights with you!

Top 20 U.S. cities where our users walk the most ??

After identifying the 30 US cities with the most WeWard users, we then calculated which 20 cities within that group registered the highest median number of steps taken per day.?

Here’s the full list, ranked in order of US cities where our users walk the most:

1. New York - 6 107
2. San Francisco - 5 064
3. Seattle - 4 741
4. Boston - 4 640
5. Los Angeles - 4 142
6. Orlando - 3 960
7. Denver - 3 959?
8. Washington D.C. - 3 901
9. Sacramento - 3 892
10. Las Vegas - 3 756
11. Newark - 3 742
12. Minneapolis - 3 648
13. Chicago - 3 592
14. Miami - 3 500
15. Phoenix - 3 435
16. Indianapolis - 3 415
17. Tampa - 3 381
18. Columbus - 3 352
19. Philadelphia - 3 268
20. Austin - 3 216

New York City ?? lands the #1 spot with 6100 steps; it’s no secret that New Yorkers walk everywhere, when they aren’t riding the subway!?

San Francisco (#2), Seattle (#3) and Boston (#4) are also famously walkable. These cities offer the perfect mix of compact urban design, easy access to shops, restaurants and parks, pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, and extensive public transportation systems. All factors that contribute to excellent walkability, and great terrain for WeWard users.?

You may be surprised to see Chicago (#13) further down the list, outpaced by the likes of Los Angeles, Orlando, Denver, Washington, Sacramento, Las Vegas, Newark and Minneapolis. Although Chicago’s grid street layout, buses and “L” train complement walking, and while Los Angeles is associated with car culture and freeways, those cities with milder weather nevertheless appear to inspire more strolling. That said, for those residing in colder climates, WeWard can provide powerful and rewarding motivation to bundle up and stay active during long winter months.?

Columbus (#18), Philadelphia (#19) and Austin (#20) round out our top 20 list, and merit exploration for residents and visitors alike. Downtown Columbus has a lot of appeal for walkers, especially the Scioto Mile, a picturesque promenade along the river, the Short North Arts District, a pioneer of local urban revitalization, and the University District, for fans of the Ohio State Buckeyes. Take a walk at Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, where you’ll find a collection of 63 parks and green spaces, offering hiking trails, gardens, and historic mansions. Explore Austin's diverse entertainment districts, offering trendy shops, restaurants, live music venues, museums, galleries, and scenic outdoor destinations.

How far are these cities from European ones?

Recent studies have shown that Americans walk less than people in other countries. To confirm this, we compared the number of steps taken in the top 20 U.S. cities to some prominent European cities.

Unsurprisingly, we found that most European capitals have a higher median daily step count than American cities. Madrid leads with 7,170 steps, followed by London with 6,723 steps, and Berlin with 6,681 steps.

While these cities are far ahead San Francisco (#2 with 5 064 steps), New York is very close with 6,107 steps. In fact, New York even surpasses Paris (5,816 steps) and Brussels (5,435 steps), which are known for being walkable cities.

In addition to generating a high number of steps per day, WeWard users who are residents or visitors to New York City can also score bonus rewards on the WeWard app by visiting a number of our favorite NYC monuments and landmarks, such as the Met Cloisters, the Nicholas Roerich Museum, the West Side Community Garden, the Neue Galerie New York. Keep climbing in the ranking!

Do you live in one of our most walkable cities? If so, which neighborhoods are your favorite to explore by foot?