American metros organize daily life in fundamentally different ways. In some, people walk or bike to work and reach health care, schools and parks on foot. In others, nearly every trip requires a car. Of course, cities have long debated how to grow and develop. But, at its core, the question is not one related to profit, but rather to making it easier for residents to get around the city throughout the course of their daily lives.

Many U.S. cities were built around the car, which still works best in many places. However, there’s now a strong argument that efficient public transit and safe, connected routes for walking and cycling might better serve today’s needs and priorities, such as a renewed desire for community and connection; healthier ways of moving; greater convenience; and less willingness to endure long commutes given the rise of remote work. That said, cities must meet this shift with infrastructure and connectivity that makes alternative transportation genuinely viable. For example, a bike lane is only functional for the masses if it’s designed to be safe and accessible for all levels of ability.

Equally important is ensuring that essential services — such as hospitals, schools and shops — are within close reach; that routes include greenery and connect to parks for well-being; and that the upside of city life is realized so people can easily reach cafés, museums and other gathering spots.

So, to find out which metros are best delivering on these priorities overall, as well as which are best in certain areas, we analyzed the 193 largest U.S. metropolitan areas. Specifically, we looked at four dimensions — mobility and connectivity; access to essential services; social and environmental amenities; and mixed-use development.

 

The Northeast’s strong showing makes sense given how many of these cities were laid out before cars took over. In mobility and connectivity, several Northeastern metros ranked near the top, going head-to-head with Western cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles. However, the Northeast really pulled away in environmental and social amenities by sweeping the top five spots. Notably, much of that came down to tree coverage and the density of “third places,” which are the types of establishments that thrive in high-density neighborhoods with plenty of foot traffic.

In fact, half of the overall top 20 are in the Northeast, including five of the top 10. Plus, when you consider that the region claims only 26 of the 193 metros we looked at, that’s a significant concentration. And, it wasn’t just large metros like New York City and Boston. Mid-sized metros — like Connecticut’s New Haven and Bridgeport — ranked highly, too.

The West came next with San Francisco and LA near the top; Boulder, Colo., doing well inland; and a cluster of strong performers in the Pacific Northwest. Then, Chicago led the Midwest, while Washington, D.C. topped the South as the only Southern metro in the top 20.

New York City #1 for Urban Accessibility, Connecticut’s New Haven & Bridgeport Crack Top 5

New York City ranked first overall after sweeping all four categories. More precisely, the metro topped four individual metrics out of a total of 17, including alternative commuting with 28.1% of commuters using public transportation or bikes. It also led in retail establishment density, the density of “third places” (such as gyms, barbershops and places where neighbors meet) and the share of apartments in mixed-use buildings at 16.5%.

Additionally, beyond those top finishes, New York City ranked high across the board: It placed third for both pedestrian-friendly intersections and education establishment density, as well as second for leisure establishments and office space in mixed-use buildings at 46.1%.

On the opposite coast, San Francisco took second overall. While it didn’t lead any category, it topped an individual metric — education establishment density. Otherwise, its strongest showing in a category came in mobility and connectivity with the second-highest alternative commuting rate and fourth-best density for pedestrian-friendly intersections. The metro also has one of the stronger low-stress biking networks in the study with 78.5% of connected bike routes protected and separated from traffic.

Back in the Northeast, Boston came in third without leading any single metric. Instead, it posted top-10 finishes across nearly every category. Namely, its tree canopy coverage of 58% tied for second overall. The metro also ranked second in the environmental and social category and third in mixed-use development with 9.6% of apartments and 29.2% of office space located in mixed-use settings.

 

It’s worth noting here that the top spots weren’t solely the country’s largest metros or those most recognized for their public transit systems. Rather, in fourth and fifth place were two mid-sized Connecticut metros — New Haven and Bridgeport. New Haven, Conn., finished fourth in mobility and connectivity in its strongest category showing. Here, walking was a standout with 5.1% of commuters walking to work (one of the higher rates in the study). Clearly, the metro has the pedestrian-focused infrastructure to support this with one of the highest densities of pedestrian-oriented sidewalks per square mile.

Nearby, Bridgeport, Conn., didn’t rank quite as high in mobility and connectivity, but it does have an 8.6% alternative transportation share among commuters to land just below Chicago at 9.7% and above Philadelphia at 7.9%. As part of a commuter corridor into New York City, many locals take the Metro-North line south, boosting the metro’s ridership numbers. Bridgeport also boasts the second-best pedestrian network in the study.

Across the country, Los Angeles came in sixth overall. Despite its car-centric reputation, the metro tied for the highest density of pedestrian-prioritized intersections in the study. It also finished third in the essential services category, topping all metros in health care establishment density. However, a lower environmental and social score kept LA from ranking higher.

Back east, next was Philadelphia at #7. It was one of just six metros to finish in the top 20 in all four categories, joining NYC; Boston; Bridgeport, Conn.; New Haven, Conn.; and San Francisco. Its best result came in mobility and connectivity, where it ranked in the top 10 for alternative commuting use.

In eighth place was Boulder, Colo., where accessibility to essentials ranked second-best across all metros in the study. Within that essential services category, Boulder finished runner-up twice, as well as first for education establishment density and its concentration of health care establishments. It’s also one of the less car-reliant metros with solid alternative transportation and walking among commuters.

In ninth, Honolulu put together impressive walking numbers with the fourth-highest walking commute share at 5.5%, combined with a 6.7% share of alternative commuters overall.

Not to be outdone, the nation’s capital closed out the top 10. Washington, D.C. was a standout for mixed-use development, finishing second for the share of apartments and third for its share of offices in such settings. Plus, the metro might have scored even higher, especially given that it has the fourth-highest alternative transportation use by commuters at 9.8%. But, low walk-to-work numbers and its less-desirable pedestrian-focused street intersection density held it back.

 

Next, we’ll look at the top 20 metros in each of the four categories separately, starting with mobility and connectivity. The overall ranking showed how these categories work together, but breaking them out reveals where specific metros excel — and where they don’t.

New York City’s 27.2% Transit Ridership Nearly Triples That of San Francisco

New York City dominated in alternative commuting with 28.1% of working-age residents using public transit or bicycles to work. Of that, public transit accounted for 27.2% — nearly three times higher than San Francisco, the next-highest metro. Of course, it makes sense for such a dense metro with an extensive network: The NYC subway system has 472 stations (the most in the Western Hemisphere) and covers 248 miles, which means that it’s nearly double Washington D.C.’s subway (the next-longest in the U.S.).

Just as striking is how few people drive in the New York metro: Just 50% of commuters use a car, which is easily the lowest rate in the study. New York City has also been a leader in recovering transit ridership post-pandemic: Last year, the Metro Transit Authority registered nearly 1.9 billion trips across subways, buses and rail. That’s a roughly 30% increase from 2022. Now, subway ridership is at 85% of pre-pandemic levels.

 

San Francisco had the second-highest alternative commuting rate at 12.5% with 10.9% using public transit like BART and 1.6% biking to work. That bicycle rate is significant for such a large metro as it’s more than NYC, Boston, Chicago, Seattle and Philadelphia. For comparison, Boston’s bicycle rate was 1.2%, bringing its alternative commuting rate to 11% when combined with public transit use for the third-highest among all metros.

Chicago followed at 9.7% and then Bridgeport, Conn., which was the first mid-sized metro among the highest public transit shares. Here again, many Bridgeport locals commute into NYC via Metro-North (a trip that takes less than two hours each way).

That said, metros with the highest public transit use also have the longest average commute times: New York City averages 36.5 minutes, while San Francisco; Bridgeport, Conn.; Boston; and Chicago all exceed 30 minutes. These times apply to all commuting methods, including cars.

Out west, Seattle (6.3%) and Honolulu (5.5%) also show strong public transit use, and both are investing heavily in expansion. Seattle’s light rail is adding an east-west route to connect Bellevue, Wash., and Redmond, Wash., complementing its north-south line from downtown through the University of Washington to SeaTac airport. Similarly, Honolulu launched its automated Skyline rail in 2023 and extended service to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport late last year with plans to eventually reach downtown.

Meanwhile, Bremerton, Wash., has 5.2% using public transit, which is primarily composed of ferries connecting the Kitsap Peninsula to Seattle. A key terminal for Washington State Ferries, it’s the largest ferry system in the country by fleet size and total annual ridership.

As for walking, Corvallis, Ore., led at 6.7% of working-age residents walking to work, followed by Bloomington, Ind., at 6%; Honolulu at 5.5%; and New York City. Corvallis also topped bicycle commuting among the top 20 in this category. Home to Oregon State University, the metro shows a pattern seen in other university towns: Santa Cruz, Calif., (UC Santa Cruz) has 5.1% walking and 3.2% bicycling; Boulder, Colo., (University of Colorado) has 4.6% walking and 3.6% bicycling; and New Haven, Conn., (Yale) has 5.1% walking, although bicycle use is lower.

We also looked at work-from-home rates to round out our understanding of how residents commute. In this case, Corvallis, Ore., and Boulder, Colo., stood out again. Not only do they rank among the lowest for car dependency, but they also lead the top 20 metros for working from home.

Trenton-Princeton, N.J., Is Leader in Both Walkable Streets & Intersection Density

Generally, the country’s older metros — with their narrow streets and abundant foot traffic — scored well for pedestrian-friendly networks. More precisely, the Trenton-Princeton N.J., metro had the densest pedestrian network at 7.2 miles of sidewalks, paths and crosswalks per square mile. It was followed by Bridgeport, Conn., at 7.1 and New York City at 6.8.

Yet, previous decades saw the automobile reshape these cities, too, to varying extents. On the whole, the historic grids survived, but highways cut through neighborhoods and parking lots replaced buildings. However, more recently, these metros have made efforts to reverse course. For example, New York City pedestrianized Times Square with a “pedestrian priority district” taking shape in the Meatpacking District and proposals to pedestrianize the Financial District. In the same way, ongoing street redesigns are also taking place in New Jersey as the Johnson Trolley Trail is being extended to create a bicycle and pedestrian corridor from Trenton to Princeton. Meanwhile, in Bridgeport, Conn., the metro is working to advance Complete Streets — a nationwide approach that designs the public right-of-way for all transportation users.

 

For street intersections, the Trenton-Princeton metro in New Jersey and LA tied at 40.5 per square mile — the densest grids in the study. The measurement prioritizes pedestrian-friendly intersections — which are multimodal, four-way connections where people can cross safely — as opposed to three-way intersections. For LA, it’s a strong result on paper, although, in practice, many intersections remain difficult for pedestrians to navigate safely. But, things could be starting to change: In 2024, nearly two-thirds of LA voters approved Measure HLA, a citizen initiative that requires the city to accelerate the implementation of its 2015 Mobility Plan by mandating pedestrian improvements and other multimodal upgrades whenever major street work occurs. While the plan is ambitious and could significantly reshape streets for walking and biking, its rollout has been gradual and remains a subject of local debate.

New York City followed at 36.4 intersections per square mile with San Francisco and Chicago close behind. In the Big Apple, pedestrian safety improved markedly after the launch of Vision Zero in 2014. This initiative redesigned more than 1,000 intersections by adding raised crosswalks; incorporating leading pedestrian intervals that give walkers a head start before vehicles receive a green light; and lowering speed limits from 30 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour on many streets. As part of the same international Vision Zero effort, San Francisco has emphasized technology by installing AI-powered pedestrian detection at more than 200 intersections to improve safety at crossings. Notably, Chicago was the first American city to commit to Vision Zero.

Corvallis, Ore., Tops Low-Stress Biking at 87%, San Francisco Leads Among Larger Metros

Rather than looking at just bike lane mileage, we used PeopleForBikes data to see how much of each metro’s bike network was both connected and low-stress. These are lanes and paths made for bicycles that are placed away from high-stress situations – such as bike lanes where cars travel at 50+ miles per hour right next to the cyclist’s shoulder. While all types of infrastructure work for experienced riders, low-stress networks are more likely to attract and sustain riders of all levels for commuting and errands.

 

Corvallis, Ore., topped this metric with 87.4% of its bike network deemed low-stress, thereby reinforcing its position as the metro with the highest biking commute rate in the study. Of course, this is not by accident. The metro has a planned network of “neighborhood bikeways” with paths that run through streets with speed bumps, bike signs and traffic-calming elements. Next-best among the entries that made the top 20 of the urban mobility and connectivity category were Bloomington, Ind., and Logan, Utah, both at roughly 79%.

Not far behind, San Francisco came in fourth at 78.5% of its biking network considered low stress and better for all levels — a strong result for one of the larger, busier metros in the study. Here, the metro’s Bay Wheels bike-share system, which includes e-bikes that are ideal for tackling hills, saw a 30% ridership increase in the first nine months of 2025 as compared to the same period in 2024. San Francisco has also experimented with protected bike lanes, such as moving the Valencia Street bike lane curbside after the center lane proved disruptive.

Further north, Eugene, Ore., followed at 78.1%, and then Ann Arbor, Mich., at 76.6%. At the other end of the spectrum, less than 50% of bike networks in Boston and Chicago — both with active cycling cultures in terms of commuter share — were deemed low stress, suggesting that infrastructure is yet to catch up with rider demand.

NYC Leads Essential Services Density; as San Francisco Tops Education, & LA Excels in Health Care

As we look at the elements of what makes life in the city more convenient, it’s impossible to look past the non-negotiables, or the essential services that we need. In this metric, we aimed to show what accessibility to education at all age levels, health care, emergency services and retail establishments looks like in practice in each metro.

New York City led overall, taking first for retail establishment density and posting near-best results for education and health density. In fact, some 36,000 retail establishments gave it the highest density even when accounting for its large population and land area. For the tri-state metro, the local deli or bodega (there are roughly 7,000 bodegas in NYC) are part of what gives the metropolis its neighborhood feel. Plus, in the age of e-commerce, having an item just a five-minute walk away can beat a 24-hour delivery wait, which is good news for local businesses.

 

In education, which includes everything from preschool to college, San Francisco has the best density in terms of the number of establishments per residents and per square mile. San Francisco held off Boulder, Colo., which, beyond the University of Colorado and Naropa University, also has Boulder Valley Schools. New York City came next, followed by Santa Cruz, Calif.; Trenton-Princeton, N.J.; San Jose, Calif.; Bridgeport, Conn.; and Boston, all of which are metros associated with education in general.

Helping the metro finish second overall in the essential services category, Boulder, Colo., finished runner-up in the health care density metric. However, it was LA — third-best overall in essential services — that led for concentration of hospitals, clinics, dentists and the like: The metro has around 43,000 health care establishments, second only to New York City’s raw total among all metros.

As for safety establishments (such as fire stations and emergency services), proximity is what matters most because the closer residents live to a station, the faster help can arrive. In this way, Northeast metros led this category. Kingston, N.Y., ranked first for safety establishment density, followed by Scranton, Pa., and Pittsburgh.

In Kingston’s case, the result is largely driven by scale. With a population of about 183,000 it’s one of the smaller metros in the study, so even a modest number of stations makes for a higher per-capita concentration.

That explanation applies less to Scranton, Penn., (about 574,000 residents) or Pittsburgh (about 2.4 million). Instead, their rankings can be chalked up to long-established emergency service networks. Pittsburgh, in particular, stands out for its history: The Freedom House Ambulance Service, founded there in 1967, helped shape the modern paramedic model in the U.S., while the local fire department was the first in the country to unionize.

Madison, Wis., Wins for Park Access; Northeast Dominates in Tree Coverage, Leisure & “Third Places”

Movement through a city isn’t just about infrastructure. It’s also about how it feels and looks. As such, green spaces and tree canopy can make walking or biking more pleasant and create a healthier environment overall. On this matter, while American cities could be criticized for not building enough public transit in recent decades, the same likely can’t be said for parks. Conversely, many metros have reclaimed spaces for people to move on foot or by bike, such as the High Line in Manhattan or the latest in a trickle of headline park projects completed and underway in San Francisco.

So, using Trust for Public Land data, we looked at the equity and access across the full metro area by measuring the percentage of a metro’s population that lives within a 10-minute walk of a park.

First up, Madison, Wis., topped all metros with 94% of residents living within a 10-minute walk of a park. Madison has planned for park space since its founding, thus allowing residents to enjoy the local isthmus geography with loops for walking and cycling.

Next, Boulder, Colo., had the second-best proximity at 91% of residents within a 10-minute walk. Then, ranking third, park projects in San Francisco have changed how space is used, especially near the city center. Specifically, the Presidio Tunnel Tops turned highway into a 14-acre park with views of the Golden Gate Bridge, while Sunset Dunes replaced around two miles of highway with a 50-acre coastal park. Following San Francisco, the next-best metros for park proximity were Bellingham, Wash.; Santa Cruz, Calif.; New York City; and Boston.

 

Tree canopy was more prevalent in Northeast entries. Looking at metro areas from the perspective of above, Worcester, Mass., had the highest coverage, meaning 60% of its metro area has tree canopy covering it. Next, Boston; Bridgeport, Conn.; and Norwich, Conn.; all tied at 58% coverage. Then, Santa Cruz, Calif., broke the Northeast run but, after that, all of the remaining top-20 metros that have at least 50% of their area covered by trees were also from the Northeast. It’s worth noting here that climate and older development design both play a role: More precipitation means less upkeep, but city planning prior to the introduction of automobiles allowed for more room for trees.

Beyond parks and trees, there’s also the social side of urban living. To that end, we measured leisure establishment density — which includes cafés, restaurants, bars and social places — in addition to cultural offerings, like theaters, museums and art galleries. In this respect, Atlantic City, N.J., led the way, although much of that stems from the entertainment identity of the New Jersey metro, which is likely more suited to visitors than locals. Then, New York City and San Francisco followed, which comes as less of a surprise. Next was Kingston, N.Y., with its historic neighborhoods that include cultural sites in the Stockade district alongside a cluster of restaurants.

However, “third places” (think gyms, beauty salons, barbers, and cafeterias — often independent spots that provide space for random interactions or a sense of belonging) saw New York City in the lead. Given the city’s history of worldwide cultural influence and neighborhood-style socializing, traditional gathering places abound. Similarly, Bridgeport, Conn.; Pittsburgh; Boston; and Philadelphia followed, all Northeast metros.

NYC Leads Mixed-Use Development; Honolulu Tops Office Share, D.C. 2nd Overall

Where people live and work in relation to transit and daily services matters. For instance, living or working in a mixed-use development means you’re likely closer to public transit, walkable sidewalks or even your workplace, plus you’ll have retail shopping on your doorstep. It’s also a benefit to local businesses: Neighborhoods that might have shut down in the evening, especially on weekends, now stay active Monday through Sunday.

Here again, NYC came out comfortably on top in the mixed-use category overall, including first place for the share of rental apartments in mixed-use developments. Across the metro, 16.5% of all apartments sit in mixed-use buildings with a heavy concentration in Manhattan due to demand given its dense population. NYC also has a history of vertical urbanism that continues today with massive projects like Hudson Yards, as well as growing mixed-use projects in the boroughs (like in Brooklyn and Queens) that are often near transit stations. It’s worth noting, too, that NYC leads the nation in office-to-residential conversions, which is a reuse of space that was once niche. These conversions aren’t always straightforward, and many aren’t part of mixed-use projects. But, some incorporate multifamily alongside meaningful non-residential uses, such as the upcoming 25 Water St. in the Financial District, which combines more than 1,300 apartments with retail and amenities.

 

We also measured the share of office space located within mixed-use developments in metros. This time, NYC was the runner-up behind Honolulu, which finished first with 46.3% of all of its office space located within mixed-use developments. And, this share is likely to grow even more in the Hawaii capital due to a number of upcoming mixed-use developments in Honolulu that are planned near stations of the expanding Skyline light rail. In some cases, mixed-use projects are under construction adjacent to Skyline stations that are being built as part of the Phase 3 extension to reach downtown.

After NYC, coming in second overall in the mixed-use category was Washington, D.C. The nation’s capital was runner-up for its share of apartments in a mixed-use setting at 10.7%, as well as third for its share of office space in mixed-use developments at 33.4%. While office-to-residential conversions are prevalent in the metro, D.C. has also seen other non-office and underused space — like industrial land — rezoned for mixed-use. Namely, Navy Yard (historically an industrial and shipyard district) has been transformed into a major mixed-use neighborhood with new residential units, office space, retail and public spaces along the Anacostia River. Likewise, NoMa went from industrial and rail yard land to one of D.C.’s fastest-growing mixed-use neighborhoods.

Then, Boston was third overall after taking third in both the apartment and office metrics. Here, places like the Seaport have transformed parking lots, abandoned wharves, and warehouses into a lively live/work/play district, consequently drawing tech firms, biotech companies, and residents with its mix of offices, apartments, retail and public spaces. At the same time, mixed-use as a way of living and working has been in place much longer in other areas of Boston, such as Back Bay’s historic Newbury Street (a pedestrian-friendly corridor).

Finally, Seattle ranked fourth in this metric with 31.8% of its office space in mixed-use locations. Many of its public transit projects currently underway intersect with development, like the 2 Line East Link Extension that will reach the upcoming Spring District — a 3-million-square-foot, master-planned neighborhood in Bellevue, Wash.