Do Socially Vulnerable Urban Populations Have Access to Walkable, Transit-Accessible Neighborhoods? A Nationwide Analysis of Large U.S. Metropolitan Areas

Abstract

Walkable and transit-accessible neighborhoods that may offer residents numerous health, social, and economic benefits are, in many places, becoming increasingly exclusive. This equity-mapping analysis sought to determine whether socially vulnerable (SV) populations within America’s largest (pop. ≥ 500 k) metropolitan areas have equitable access to walkable and transit-accessible neighborhoods. The results suggest an equitable overlap between high-SV and highly walkable neighborhoods in many cities, yet there was significant variability in both the availability and equity in accessibility of these neighborhoods to SV populations. Concerningly, high-SV populations living in more walkable neighborhoods are also likely to contend with higher levels of personal crime (i.e., homicide, rape, robbery, assault), poorer-performing schools, and lower transit accessibility. While the primary challenge in some cities, including many in the South and Southeast, is a general lack of walkable and transit-accessible neighborhoods, in others a dearth of affordable housing is likely the main barrier to ensuring broad and equitable accessibility.