A recent study from the University of New Hampshire has revealed that communities designed to be more walkable offered significant mental health benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. In neighbourhoods where people could easily step outside and go for a walk, residents were less likely to experience heightened levels of stress and anxiety. The research highlights how something as simple as access to safe, walkable streets helped to reduce the psychological burden of living through an unprecedented global crisis.
Karen Conway, professor of economics at UNH’s Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics, described walking as a crucial outlet during those uncertain times. “The unknown of the pandemic was difficult, but to be able to get outside and simply go for a walk was a salvation for many people,” she explained. She noted that her own family, with all of her adult children back home during lockdowns, relied on daily walks as a way to cope. Beyond the physical exercise, it became a source of connection, offering opportunities to wave at neighbours across the street and briefly reclaim a sense of normality.
The study, published in Health Economics and co-authored with Andrea K. Menclova of the University of Canterbury, analysed national census and survey data to measure the relationship between walkability and mental health. Using the Environmental Protection Agency’s 0–20 Walkability Index, the researchers found that even a modest improvement of four points on the scale was associated with a four per cent reduction in mental health deterioration related to the pandemic. This finding underscores how relatively minor changes to neighbourhood design can have tangible impacts on well-being.
To strengthen their conclusions, the researchers compared data collected before the pandemic (2018–2019) with figures from the peak years of the crisis (2020–2021). Drawing on more than 55,000 Census tracts across the United States, they matched the EPA’s walkability measures with mental health surveys from the CDC. By focusing on variations within the same counties, they could account for broader cultural and environmental similarities while isolating walkability as a distinct local factor. This approach revealed that even in areas facing the same policy restrictions and health outcomes, levels of psychological distress varied depending on the neighbourhood’s walkability.
The benefits of walkability stem from multiple overlapping influences. Walking promoted physical activity, encouraged time outdoors, and fostered social ties within communities. While walking for commuting declined due to lockdowns and remote work, leisure walking increased sharply, often centred around residential areas. These local walks were not only a form of exercise but also a means of social engagement, however modest, and this combination of activity and connection provided a buffer against the mental strain of isolation.
Although the research focused specifically on the pandemic, its implications extend to other stressors in everyday life. Walkable communities may help people cope with challenges such as bereavement, divorce, job loss, or general anxiety. The findings highlight the importance of integrating walkability into urban planning and public health policy, from adding sidewalks and pedestrian crossings to implementing traffic-calming measures. By prioritising walkability, cities and towns can foster resilience, improve mental health, and build communities that are better prepared to withstand future crises.
More information: Karen Smith Conway et al, Walkability and Mental Health Resiliency During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Health Economics. DOI: 10.1002/hec.70013
Journal information: Health Economics Provided by University of New Hampshire
