Kicking the Tires in Kansas
Kansas’ Kinetically Inviting Metropolises – A List by Redfin
• Redfin compiles a list of the top ten most walkable cities in the tear-inducingly flat state of Kansas. Forget the Land of Oz, Dorothy would have logged more miles here.
• These walkable neighborhoods are flawed perfection; their sidewalks as inviting as a Jayhawk in a Wildcats’ game.
• You’ll love the chance to hipster it up with some Live Work Play living, right in middle America. Walking to a job? Echoing back to pre-1980s times, are we, Kansas?
Homes in Heartland
• The Redfin list aims not only to guide athleticism but also to cater to your investment curiosity. Get a heart-rate lift and a property portfolio boost at once!
• The study analyzes walk scores, transit scores, and bike scores to weigh the ease of errands on foot, public transit options, and the bike-friendliness of a city. After all, what’s an American city without a robust commute to your yoga classes?
• List criteria include access to grocery chains (Dorothy didn’t have to walk far for a can of corn, did she?), public transport facilities, and coffee shops, because we all know the most important walk of the day is the jittery one to get caffeine.
The Grit Behind the List
• This list is no sympathy parade for shoe manufacturers. The scores take account of proximity to amenities, population density, and lastly, pedestrian safety. Getting creamed by a cyclist isn’t part of the plan.
• Cities earn high scores for availability of things like schools, parks, grocery stores, cafes, and gyms. Basically, if you have to brave a snowstorm to grab a loaf of bread, your walkability score is sinking faster than a pair of ruby slippers in a tornado.
• Manhattan, Lawrence, and Kansas City top the list, so oil your joints, grab your boots, and leave the horse at home, folks. It’s time to hoof it.
The Winding Road Ahead
The Redfin list of Kansas’ top ten walkable cities is as intriguing as Auntie Em’s secret cornbread recipe. Who said Kansas was all sleepy hamlets and winding yellow brick roads? Our fair state now boasts pedestrian-friendly metropolises that welcome footloose folks and property investors alike, eager to trade the congestion of car-clogged streets for a leisurely amble to the grocery store.
My hot take? Kansas seems to be donning a new look, trading in its wheat fields for wheatgrass shots at the corner health food store. Walking demands new rules, new shoes, and definitely, new urban plans. Whether it’s a new way of life or a new way of real estate, one thing’s clear as Kansas air – leave the horse at home, and put your best foot forward!
Original article: https://www.redfin.com/blog/most-walkable-cities-in-kansas/
