Why use Walk Score instead of Bike Score?

Landable's primary walkability data is Walk Score. Bike Score correlates strongly with it in practice, and cities that score high on one tend to score high on both.

What about bike infrastructure specifically?

Dedicated cycling infrastructure varies within cities more than between them. Walk Score captures the density and connectivity that makes cycling viable at the city level.

10 Best Cities for Cyclists in the US (2026)

A good cycling city has three things: a core dense enough to ride safely, a park system with trails worth riding, and weather that makes riding practical more than a few months a year. Walk Score is the best available proxy for the first.

This list keeps a Walk Score floor and weights walkability and parks heavily. Weather is the third factor, because a great cycling city that is frozen half the year is only half a cycling city.

the ranking

01
CA
Photo by Justin Wolff on Unsplash
San Diego
CA · 3.3M metro
San Diego tops the cycling list: a Walk Score of 99, 332 pleasant days to ride in, and $2,890 median rent. A bike here is transportation, not a novelty.
99
Walk Score® (0 to 100)
332
pleasant days a year
$2,890
median rent / month
see the full dispatch for San Diego
02
CA
Photo by James A. Molnar on Unsplash
San Francisco
CA · 4.6M metro
San Francisco lands second with a Walk Score of 99 and 312 pleasant days. Dense enough to ride safely, mild enough to ride often.
99
Walk Score® (0 to 100)
312
pleasant days a year
$3,146
median rent / month
see the full dispatch for San Francisco
03
CA
Photo by ha ha on Pexels
Oxnard
CA · 830k metro
Oxnard takes third: Walk Score 96, 342 pleasant days, and $2,995 rent.
96
Walk Score® (0 to 100)
342
pleasant days a year
$2,995
median rent / month
see the full dispatch for Oxnard
04
FL
Photo by Adrian Diaz-Sieckel on Unsplash
Miami
FL · 6.2M metro
Miami pairs a Walk Score of 97 with 272 pleasant days and $2,665 rent. The bike does real work here.
97
Walk Score® (0 to 100)
272
pleasant days a year
$2,665
median rent / month
see the full dispatch for Miami
05
CA
Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash
San Luis Obispo
CA · 282k metro
San Luis Obispo earns its spot on infrastructure and weather: Walk Score 98, 303 pleasant days, $3,095 rent.
98
Walk Score® (0 to 100)
303
pleasant days a year
$3,095
median rent / month
see the full dispatch for San Luis Obispo
06
WA
Photo by Toan Chu on Unsplash
Seattle
WA · 4.0M metro
Seattle is the mid-list pick that rides well: Walk Score 98, 182 pleasant days, $2,193 rent.
98
Walk Score® (0 to 100)
182
pleasant days a year
$2,193
median rent / month
see the full dispatch for Seattle
07
HI
Photo by Cyrill on Pexels
Honolulu
HI · 989k metro
Honolulu clears the bar with a Walk Score of 99, 316 pleasant days, and $2,843 median rent.
99
Walk Score® (0 to 100)
316
pleasant days a year
$2,843
median rent / month
see the full dispatch for Honolulu
08
OR
Photo by Xtra, Inc. on Unsplash
Portland
OR · 2.5M metro
Portland keeps the bike-as-transport promise: Walk Score 100 and 178 pleasant days at $1,781 a month.
100
Walk Score® (0 to 100)
178
pleasant days a year
$1,781
median rent / month
see the full dispatch for Portland
09
OR
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Pexels
Eugene
OR · 381k metro
Eugene lands near the bottom of the ten and still rides well: Walk Score 97, 206 pleasant days.
97
Walk Score® (0 to 100)
206
pleasant days a year
$1,799
median rent / month
see the full dispatch for Eugene
10
LA
Photo by Emanuel Odadjiev on Unsplash
New Orleans
LA · 962k metro
New Orleans rounds out the list: Walk Score 98, 235 pleasant days, $1,612 median rent.
98
Walk Score® (0 to 100)
235
pleasant days a year
$1,612
median rent / month
see the full dispatch for New Orleans

how we ranked

We rank by 35% walkability, 25% parks, 25% weather, 10% affordability, and 5% things to do, with a Walk Score floor of 60. Walk Score is a registered trademark of its owner.

common questions

Why use Walk Score instead of Bike Score?: Landable's primary walkability data is Walk Score. Bike Score correlates strongly with it in practice, and cities that score high on one tend to score high on both.
What about bike infrastructure specifically?: Dedicated cycling infrastructure varies within cities more than between them. Walk Score captures the density and connectivity that makes cycling viable at the city level.

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