Stop, Look, and Sidewalk: Maine’s 9 Most Walkable Cities.

An Unexpected Exploration of Maine’s City Streets

We know you’ve been stepping up your Fitbit game during lockdown, ditching the treadmill in favor of nature’s treadmill – freshly cut lawns and city sidewalks. If you’ve been looking for a new stomping ground, ahem, walking ground, Redfin has you covered with a list of Maine’s top 9 most walkable cities.

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The ‘Walk Score’

Redfin has a unique scoring mechanism – the ‘Walk Score’ – which factors in parameters such as proximity to amenities, pedestrian friendliness, and population size in determining the walkability of a city. Maine – land of lighthouses, lobster, and lovely coastlines, wouldn’t you love to take a walk?
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The Frontrunners

Topping the list are Portland, Bangor, and Biddeford with walk scores of 61, 50, and 49 respectively. Now you can have your lobster and walk it off too!
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The Underdogs

Coming in close, Lewiston (45), South Portland (44), and Westbrook (39), provide enough trails for you to break in those new walking shoes.
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The Dark Horses

Trailing not too far behind are Augusta, Waterville, and Brunswick. They may have lower walk scores, but like tortoises in a hare race, they have the potential for surprising results.

Assessing the Asphalt: Are these cities right for you?

If you’re considering a move and walkability ranks high on your list of priorities, these cities might just be your next destination. If nothing else, they are a tempting excuse for a mini travel escapade to rack up those steps!

Hot Take

Maine – it’s not just about stunning fall colors and tasty seafood anymore. Redfin’s ‘most walkable cities’ list is serving us serious side-walk envy. Remember, these scores aren’t just for those seeking a healthier lifestyle. They’re also a home buyer’s perfect formula for property value increase – a high walk score indicates desirable, central locations, and well, who doesn’t love a scenic stroll to their local coffee shop. So, lace-up your sneakers and walk the talk, literally. Happy strutting, folks!

Finally, a caveat. Always remember, “Walk Score” is like a beauty pageant. It recognizes only observable phenomena. Walkability can be affected by various invisible factors like socio-cultural dimensions, surrounding natural elements, and personal preferences, which this scoring might overlook. So, while you’re busy chasing those walkability scores, don’t forget to smell the roses…or the lobsters.

Original article: https://www.redfin.com/blog/most-walkable-cities-in-maine/