ZipRealty Inc. ranked the most walkable cities with the most affordable homes near San Francisco: Emeryville, downtown San Jose, Albany and Berkeley. According to the press release from ZipRealty, using data from WalkScore.com, which ranks walkability from 0-100, Emeryville had a score of 80 with a median home price of $388,888. Downtown San Jose had a score of 74/$508,450, Albany 86/$622,500 and Berkeley 95/$786,258.
“One of the allures of living in San Francisco is the city’s beautiful and convenient walkability, and that appeal is well-reflected in its lofty real estate prices,” said ZipRealty CEO and President Lanny Baker. “According to our partner Walk Score, San Francisco is the second-most walkable large city in the United States, behind New York City. In the local study we conducted, the most walkable and affordable communities were quite surprising alternatives to the high average price in San Francisco, which currently exceed $1 million.”
Lifestyle trends around the Bay Area indicate urban areas are moving away from dependency on cars to a walkable more sustainable way of life. According to Walk Score, people in walkable neighborhoods weigh 6-8 pounds less than those who don’t. That’s definitely an incentive to choose Emeryville for your home. Check out the City of Emeryville’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan, a community effort.
