Walk more for a better score: The 'walkability' of your city is important for better health, finance

NEW YORK -- Walked anywhere lately? And I don't mean just between the kitchen and living room, but to get somewhere? Somewhere you might usually go by car?

Actually, I get to walk a lot. I do a lot of business in Manhattan, and those walks to and from Grand Central do me a lot of good. Good exercise. A time to pause and take in the vast physical and human presence of the city.

Most of us don't walk a lot. Statistics show that as a nation, fewer than 6% of all trips are by foot. Fewer than 13% of students travel by foot. Some three-fourths of all short trips we take -- less than a mile -- are made by car. One-fourth of all car trips made are less than a mile.

Boy, do I ever see this in action when I visit typical suburban America. Clusters of offices, less than a mile from the strip mall or freeway interchange where all the restaurants lie. So, at about noon each weekday, sudden gridlock from the mass exodus and a flurry of half-mile trips on those eight-lane boulevards connecting the two.

Want to help your finances while helping your figure and making life more enjoyable, too? A 15-minute look at a new measure might help.

A new 'walk score'

A new Web site called Walk Score measures the "walkability" of any address in the U.S. Mike Mathieu, a former MSN.com manager, created the tool to promote "environmental living" through creating more walkable communities. See the site.

Want to know how walkable your community, residence, or place of work really is? If you type in an address the tool assigns a score, using mapping software overlaid with locations of shops, community resources, parks, and so forth. The higher the score, the better:

• 90-100. A walker's paradise. Most errands can be done on foot, don't need a car.
• 70-90. Very walkable. Possible to get by without a car.
• 50-70. Some walkable locations. Some amenities in walking distance but many everyday trips require a bike, public transport or car.
• 25-50. Not walkable. For most trips, public transport or a car is a must.
• 0-25. Driving only. Virtually no destinations in walking range.

While the "green" aspects of Walk Score are important, I think it has a bigger reach into important financial decisions you make, such as where you live and work:

• Select a place to live. My Chicago-based office scores a 98, but where I live only scores a 28. And if I were to move, I might try to find a place rating at least a 50 or better.
• Sell your home more effectively. Selling your home? If you chose well in the first place you may have a high "walk score." If so, make it part of your selling campaign, buyers will take notice.
• Select a place to work. The walk score where you work is just as important - to run errands, eat lunch, get a break, etc. If you're choosing among job opportunities, perhaps the walk score decides?
• Become an advocate. The Walk Score site's main purpose is to "drive" (sorry!) more environmentally friendly infrastructure. If you're actively involved in your community, attention to walk scores will make it more valuable and a better place to live.

For most of us, it's time to put more walking back into our lives. Think about it: Where have you walked lately? Walking is better physically and financially. And it will only become more so.

A 15-minute stroll through your Walk Scores will point you in the right direction.