Are residents of high-walkable areas satisfied with their neighbourhood?

AIM: While the association between walkability and walking for transport has been well established, less is known about the association between walkability and neighbourhood satisfaction. This study aims to examine the direction and strength of the association between objective measures of residential walkability and neighbourhood satisfaction, as well as the differences by sex. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Using a cross-sectional study design, outcome data were derived from the representative cross-sectional survey (n = 843) ‘Bicycle-friendly City’ of adults in the city of Graz (Austria). Walkability was measured as gross population density, household unit density, entropy index, proportion of mixed land use, three-way intersection density, four-way intersection density and walkability indices. The outcomes were measured as general neighbourhood satisfaction and neighbourhood satisfaction with the general socio-environmental quality, social cohesion and local infrastructure. Logistic regression analyses were conducted, including age, socio-economic status and place of residence. RESULTS: Walkability was negatively associated with general neighbourhood satisfaction, neighbourhood satisfaction with general socio-environmental quality and social cohesion. It was positively associated with neighbourhood satisfaction with local infrastructure. Connectivity and the entropy index showed the weakest or no association with the outcomes. The strongest association was between walkability and neighbourhood satisfaction with socio-environmental quality. There were no differences by sex. CONCLUSION: These results contribute to the current limited understanding of the association between walkability and neighbourhood satisfaction, especially in a European context. More comparable, longitudinal research would be helpful to determine what impact walkability has on neighbourhood satisfaction and to identify the important mediating factors.