A study reported in the Idaho Statesman shows that in Boise and several other western cities buyers will spend considerably more for homes in walkable neighborhoods.

This is important news for city planners, builders and real estate agents. It’s good news too for the environment, the population’s health and community well being.

“The study analyzed housing data and survey results in Boise and five other Intermountain West communities: Teton Valley in Idaho, Carbondale, Eagle and Buena Vista in Colorado, and Bozeman, Mont.
Survey respondents in the six cities said that they’d pay 12.5 percent more to live in a neighborhood where they could walk to everyday activity centers such as schools, parks, restaurants, trails and shops.

Boise had the smallest percentage of walkable communities in the study, yet Boiseans are willing to pay the most for accessibility. The study tracked more than 40,000 home sales spanning 10 years in Boise and identified as walkable Bown Crossing, Warm Springs, Downtown/North End and Hidden Springs, which lies northwest of the city limits. Homes sold in those neighborhoods fetched prices 45 percent higher on average than homes in the rest of the city.”

That is impressive! A 12.5% average with some communities having a 45% premium! If that doesn’t motivate some new thinking what will?

BTW, Metro Boise has a population of 616,561; The City of Boise, 212,303.
Metro Rochester about 1,054,323; The City of Rochester has about 210,565.
Read more here:
Wanted: Walkable communities in Boise