These Are the Most Pedestrian-friendly Cities in the U.S.

New York City is the ultimate walking city with a never-ending array of shops, restaurants, and picturesque sites to see along the way. So it’s no surprise that the Big Apple was named the most pedestrian-friendly city in the United States, according to a new study by shoe company Kuru Footwear. The city earned the accolade thanks to its high walking score and the lowest pedestrian death rate in the country (only 1.32 per 100,000 people).

“Given the Big Apple’s reputation for speeding yellow taxis, roaring intersections, and being a city that never sleeps, New York City may not have been everyone’s No. 1 guess for being pedestrian safe — yet it takes our No. 1 spot again this year,” the company wrote in the study, adding, “However, it’s important to remember that pedestrian safety can vary within different neighborhoods and areas of these cities. It’s always advisable to exercise caution and follow local traffic regulations when walking in any urban environment.”

Washington, D.C. took the second spot on the list with the highest walkability score in the country of 98, followed by Boston, which boasted the second-lowest pedestrian death rate of just 1.69 per 100,000 people. San Francisco and Chicago rounded out the top five.

On the other end of the spectrum was Memphis, Tennessee, which has plenty of amazing sites to discover but was ranked the most dangerous city for walkers with a pedestrian death rate of 13.36 per 100,000 people and a walkability score of just 35. That was followed by Phoenix; Tucson, Arizona; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Sacramento, California.

“These cities may have some work to do to ensure their pedestrians stay safe while walking on foot,” Kuru Footwear wrote in the study. “Addressing these issues identified in pedestrian safety is essential to create a more secure environment for residents and visitors alike.”

The study focused on cities with more than 500,000 people and examined pedestrian fatality rates from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.