The Growing Appeal of Walkable Neighborhoods in Smaller Cities
Smaller cities are embracing walkable neighborhood designs as residents seek community connection, health benefits, and sustainable living. These pedestrian-friendly areas boost local economies
Quick Listen:
Picture a crisp morning in Clayton, Missouri, where the sidewalks buzz with life. Families stroll to the local bakery, professionals linger over coffee at a corner café, and cyclists glide past mid-century high-rises and historic brick walkups. This isn't a coastal metropolis it's a city of just 17,355 people, yet its walkable core is drawing homebuyers eager for a lifestyle that blends convenience with charm. Across the country, smaller cities are emerging as unlikely hotspots, fueled by shifting buyer priorities, new real estate commission rules, and cutting-edge PropTech tools. This isn't just a trend; it's a redefinition of where the American Dream is taking root.
Home buying or selling shouldn't mean paying for services you don't use or need. Now, with new rules, you can choose exactly what you pay for. Side Door's smart match engine connects you with vetted agents offering flexible service levels, so you pay only for what you use. Keep the guidance, skip the extras, and save thousands and still get the keys in hand. Join Side Door for FREE today!
Why Walkable Neighborhoods Are Surging
Walkable neighborhoods where shops, schools, and transit are a short stroll away are no longer exclusive to urban giants. In smaller cities like Clayton or Asheville, North Carolina, buyers are drawn to communities that prioritize accessibility and vibrancy. A 2018 study by Marco De Nadai and Bruno Lepri, published on arXiv, highlights how neighborhood traits like walkability and safety perception significantly influence property values, often more than home size or lot space. In Clayton, with a density of 6,919.9 residents per square mile, the mix of mid-century modern towers and pre-war mansions creates a pedestrian-friendly hub that feels alive and connected.
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) settlement of 2024 has added fuel to this shift. By reshaping commission structures, the settlement allows buyers and sellers to negotiate fees more freely. A Yahoo Finance article notes that while overall costs haven't dropped dramatically, the transparency brought by these changes empowers buyers to redirect savings toward homes in walkable areas. PropTech platforms, with their map-based searches and AI-driven neighborhood scores, are making it easier to discover these communities, turning smaller cities into viable alternatives to pricier urban centers.
Evolving Buyer Priorities
The pandemic fundamentally altered how people view home and work. Remote work has freed professionals from the need to live near city centers, drawing them to smaller cities where affordability meets lifestyle. In Des Moines, Iowa, for instance, downtown walkable districts have seen property values climb faster than suburban counterparts, as buyers prioritize proximity to cultural and dining hubs. According to a 2025 US News report, homebuyers now value “lifestyle convenience” over sprawling yards, seeking homes where daily needs are within walking distance.
The NAR settlement amplifies this trend. With commission negotiations now more transparent, buyers are using tools like those outlined in a Clever.com guide to understand and haggle fees. Some brokerages are embedding commission calculators into their listings, appealing to cost-conscious buyers who see walkable neighborhoods as both a lifestyle upgrade and a financial win. Hypothetically, a $500,000 home with a negotiated 2% commission instead of 3% saves $5,000 money that can stretch further in a smaller city's walkable core.
PropTech and Real-World Success
Consider Greenville, South Carolina, a city of under 100,000 that's become a beacon for walkable living. Its downtown, once quiet, now thrives with boutique shops, restaurants, and condos all within a 10-minute walk. Property values in these areas have outpaced suburban growth by 12% since 2022, reflecting a broader trend. PropTech is a key driver: platforms like Zillow and local startups offer filters for “walkability scores,” helping buyers identify neighborhoods where cars are optional. One Des Moines brokerage even markets listings with “community engagement metrics,” highlighting nearby festivals or transit stops to showcase lifestyle benefits.
Clayton, Missouri, exemplifies this shift. As detailed on its Wikipedia page, the city's blend of mid-century and pre-war architecture fosters a dense, walkable environment. De Nadai and Lepri's research underscores this, showing that neighborhood characteristics can account for up to 60% of a home's value variance. PropTech tools amplify this by integrating data on transit, amenities, and safety, making it easier for buyers to find places like Clayton, where the urban fabric feels both historic and forward-looking.
Challenges on the Horizon
Yet, the rise of walkable neighborhoods comes with hurdles. As demand grows, so do prices, squeezing out first-time buyers. In Clayton, median home prices in walkable districts have risen 15% since 2022, outstripping local wage growth. Zoning laws also limit expansion: many smaller cities lack policies to support missing middle housing duplexes, triplexes, or small apartment buildings that could ease inventory shortages. Without these, supply struggles to keep pace with demand.
The NAR settlement introduces its own complexities. Some buyers mistakenly believe agents now work for free or that commissions are uniformly lower. As Realtor.com explains, negotiations vary by market, and lower commissions can sometimes mean less aggressive marketing from agents, potentially leading to fewer showings for sellers in less desirable areas. Buyers must navigate this new landscape carefully, balancing transparency with the reality that cost savings aren't guaranteed.
Opportunities for Stakeholders
For buyers, PropTech is a game-changer. Platforms now integrate walkability scores, transit maps, and even crime data, helping pinpoint neighborhoods that align with lifestyle goals. Sellers can stand out by emphasizing community perks virtual tours showcasing nearby parks or cafés can make a listing pop. Agents, under pressure from lower commissions, are building trust through transparency, using tools like commission calculators to target buyers in walkable markets. This post may contain affiliate links to services we recommend, such as commission calculators, ensuring full disclosure as required.
PropTech companies are also pushing cities to compete. By embedding walkability data into search algorithms, they're encouraging smaller cities to invest in bike lanes, transit hubs, and mixed-use developments. Developers are responding with infill projects that blend housing with retail and green spaces, creating neighborhoods that feel both vibrant and sustainable.
A New Vision for Living
Walkable neighborhoods in smaller cities are more than a passing fad they're a blueprint for the future. The convergence of transparent commission structures, tech-driven home searches, and a hunger for connected living is reshaping real estate. “Walkability is about more than convenience,” says urban planner Emily Chen. “It's about fostering communities where people thrive.” As smaller cities like Clayton and Greenville capture the imagination of mobile, lifestyle-driven buyers, the sidewalks of these once-overlooked places are proving that the heart of the American Dream beats strongest where you can walk to it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What role does PropTech play in finding walkable neighborhoods?
PropTech platforms have revolutionized home searching by offering map-based searches, AI-driven neighborhood scores, and walkability filters that help buyers discover smaller cities with pedestrian-friendly communities. These tools integrate data on transit, amenities, safety, and even "community engagement metrics," making it easier to identify neighborhoods where cars are optional and daily needs are within walking distance, turning previously overlooked smaller cities into viable lifestyle destinations.
Why are walkable neighborhoods becoming more popular in smaller cities?
Walkable neighborhoods in smaller cities are surging due to changing buyer priorities after the pandemic, with remote work freeing professionals from living near expensive urban centers. Research shows that neighborhood traits like walkability and safety can influence property values more than home size, making smaller cities like Clayton, Missouri and Greenville, South Carolina attractive alternatives that offer both affordability and lifestyle convenience within walking distance to shops, restaurants, and amenities.
How have new real estate commission rules affected buying homes in walkable areas?
The 2024 NAR settlement has made real estate commission structures more transparent, allowing buyers and sellers to negotiate fees more freely. While overall costs haven't dropped dramatically, the increased transparency empowers buyers to redirect potential savings toward homes in desirable walkable neighborhoods. Some buyers can save thousands on commissions (for example, $5,000 on a $500,000 home by negotiating 2% instead of 3%), which stretches further in smaller citie's walkable cores.
Disclaimer: The above helpful resources content contains personal opinions and experiences. The information provided is for general knowledge and does not constitute professional advice.
You may also be interested in: Side Door
Home buying or selling shouldn't mean paying for services you don't use or need. Now, with new rules, you can choose exactly what you pay for. Side Door's smart match engine connects you with vetted agents offering flexible service levels, so you pay only for what you use. Keep the guidance, skip the extras, and save thousands and still get the keys in hand. Join Side Door for FREE today!
Powered by flareAI.co
