How walkable is your neighborhood or ZIP code?

That's the question that the Redfin-owned website Walk Score is answering for prospective users when it comes to buying or renting homes.

  • Walk Score is online tool that analyzes areas
  • Neighborhoods are ranked on 'walkability'
  • We put Walk Score to the test

"What I like about Walk Score is that it is another tool and another point of reference to look at, whether an area is walkable or not," said Amanda Day of Best Foot Forward, a community-wide coalition designed to help make conditions safer for pedestrians and vehicles to coexist.

Walk Score's methodology involves taking an address and analyzing hundreds of walking routes to nearby amenities. Points are awarded based on distances to amenities in different categories. Scores are given on a scale of 0 to 100.

It could affect your property values as well. A University of Arizona professor went on record to say a 10-point increase in "walk score" increases commercial property values by 5 to 8 percent.

According to Walk Score, Orlando's top ZIP code for walking is right in the heart of downtown: 32801. It boasts overall Walk Scores of 96-98. The highest scored neighborhood for walking is nearby, too: South Eola, with a score of 93.

We put Walk Score to the test.

We went to the 32803 ZIP code, which, according to Walk Score, has the second highest Walk Score in terms of "walkability." We wanted to find out whether that Walk Score is warranted and if it necessarily stands for safety.

"32803 is a big ZIP code in Orlando. It includes Baldwin Park, Orlando Fashion Square mall, as well as the Orlando Executive Airport, Corrine Drive area..." Day said.

That ZIP code has a score of 58 and doesn't even take into account all factors.

"It does not take into account the crash data at all,” Day said. “So when you couple that crash data with the Walk Score data, it gives you an overall better picture of the comfort level for whether or not you would feel safe letting your 7-year old ride their bike to school."

So what is the overall feeling about this ZIP code?

"Considering that Colonial Drive is really at the heart of this ZIP code, I would say that this isn't the safest or even the most comfortable place to walk or bike."

News 13 has partnered with the Florida Department of Transportation on its “Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow” campaign. The idea is to make sure we’re all sharing the road with people who walk or ride their bikes, and everyone makes it where they need to be safely. FDOT has all kinds of resources for you on alerttodayflorida.com.