Walkability Score Checker
Enter any address on Earth and see a walkability score based on live OpenStreetMap data — groceries, restaurants, transit, schools, parks, and healthcare within a ten-minute walk. Free, private, no sign-up.
How the Walkability Score Checker Works
Paste any street address or drop a place name into the box above. The tool geocodes the address using the free OpenStreetMap Nominatim service, then queries the Overpass amenity API for everything within 800 metres — supermarkets, restaurants, schools, parks, transit stops, and healthcare providers. Each category is weighted by real-world walkability research (daily essentials count more than fifth-nearest restaurants), then combined into a 0-100 score with a descriptive grade.
Using the Score Beyond One Address
Most real walkability questions are comparative: how does one prospective address stack up against another? Run the tool twice, once for each candidate, and compare category breakdowns rather than raw scores — a 78 with strong transit access may be more liveable than an 82 that scores on restaurants alone. For city-level comparisons, check the dedicated city pages linked from the housing hub; they highlight which neighbourhoods within each city typically score highest.
What Counts Toward a Good Walk Score
A high walkability score means you can reach daily needs — groceries, restaurants, schools, parks, transit stops, and healthcare — within a comfortable walking distance, typically 800 metres or about ten minutes on foot. Our scoring engine queries live OpenStreetMap data via the Overpass API and counts amenities across six categories around the address you enter. Categories are weighted: a supermarket within five minutes contributes more to the score than a fifth restaurant, because daily necessities dominate real-world walkability better than pure amenity count.
Why We Use OpenStreetMap Data
Most commercial walkability scores are paywalled or sell your address to real-estate advertisers. This tool runs entirely in your browser and reads free, community-maintained OpenStreetMap data — the same source that powers Wikipedia maps, Apple Maps coverage gaps, and most open-data government dashboards. Nothing about your query is saved, logged, or sent to third-party advertisers. If your neighbourhood looks under-scored, it's almost always because OSM contributors have not yet mapped every local shop — a situation that improves month over month.
Tips for Using This Score in a Move or Buy Decision
Treat the score as a starting point, not a verdict. A 90+ score confirms dense amenity access but says nothing about noise, air quality, school quality, or property taxes — factors that can matter more than walkability for long-term satisfaction. Conversely, scores in the 40-60 range can be perfectly liveable if the address is within a short cycle or transit ride of a denser hub. Always walk the neighbourhood at different times of day before committing to a move.
Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate is the walkability score ?
The score is based on live OpenStreetMap amenity data within 800 metres of the address — the same open dataset used by Wikipedia maps and open-data government dashboards. Accuracy depends on how thoroughly local OSM contributors have mapped shops, transit, and healthcare. Urban areas are typically mapped very well; rural areas less so.
Why does the score sometimes differ from Walk Score® or other paid tools?
Paid tools use proprietary amenity databases sourced from commercial providers. We use free community-maintained OpenStreetMap data, weight daily-needs categories (groceries, transit, healthcare) more heavily, and count only amenities within a ten-minute walking radius. Results correlate strongly with paid tools but never match exactly.
Is my address sent to any server?
Your address is sent only to the OpenStreetMap Nominatim geocoder and the Overpass amenity API — both free public services run by the OSM Foundation. Nothing is logged on teamzlab.com, nothing is sold, nothing reaches advertisers. The tool runs entirely in your browser.
What radius does the scoring use?
We count amenities within 800 metres (about half a mile or a ten-minute walk). This is the standard radius used by most walkability research and matches the 15-minute-city concept for one-way walking trips.
Why are some real shops missing from the map?
The map only shows amenities that have been added to OpenStreetMap by volunteer contributors. Coverage improves monthly, but rural areas and newly-opened shops may be missing. You can add missing shops yourself at openstreetmap.org — contributions are free and help everyone.
Can I use this for real estate decisions?
Yes, but treat the score as one data point among many. A high walkability score does not account for noise, air quality, school ratings, property taxes, or flood risk. Always visit the neighbourhood at multiple times of day before making a move or purchase decision.