Social Patterns in Physical Infrastructure: Associations between Socioeconomic Status and Walkability

Studies analyzing the relationship between socioeconomic status and physical infrastructure of a city are inconsistent in findings but agree on racial and class disparities. Utilizing walkability (Walk Score) as a measurement for physical infrastructure, this thesis aims to understand the relationship between socioeconomic status and the walkability of a city. The Socio-Ecological framework suggests that environmental experiences are correlated with the social functioning of a community. Thus, socioeconomic status has a significant impact on the quality of one’s built environment. Using housing data from the 2021 American Community Survey (ACS) and Walk Score, a series of quantitative analyses were conducted to understand the relationship between factors of socioeconomic status and walkability. Findings suggest educational attainment, race, home ownership and income are significantly correlated with walkability. Additionally, the presence of intersecting characteristics associated with low and high socioeconomic status suggest racial and wealth differences in walking accommodations. Future research should aim to include more racial groups, and broaden the operationalization of relevant variables to get a more comprehensive understanding of spatial disparities.