Walkability measures how many people can walk to a park within ten minutes throughout the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. This idea was developed by the Trust for Public Land. Access to parks within a ten-minute walk provides space for people to gather with friends, exercise, and maintain mental health in a safe outdoor environment. Often, communities of color and underrepresented communities do not have the same access as other groups.
How is it scored?
Walkability includes two metrics. One is the total amount of people that can walk to a park. The second examines how many people in diverse groups can walk to a park. Diverse groups include people who are Black, Asian, Native American, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, two or more races, and other races. The 2020 scores used 2019 demographic esimates for parks—further details are available on TPL's website (https://www.tpl.org/parkserve/about). The 2021 scores used 2020 demographic data. The 2022 scores used 2021 demographic data. The 2023/2024 scores used 2022 demographic data.