Ranking Inner West Suburbs by How Much People Walk

You can tell how walkable a suburb really is by how often people leave the house without thinking about it. No plan, no destination, no “I’ll just drive”. Just keys left behind and movement happening naturally.

Some Inner West suburbs are built around this kind of movement. Others technically allow walking, but don’t encourage it. The difference is subtle, but once you notice it, it’s hard to unsee.

This ranking looks at how much walking actually happens in daily life, not how walkable a suburb claims to be.

1. Glebe

Glebe sits at the top because walking is how life works here. Shops, parks, water, and the city all sit close enough that walking feels automatic. People don’t talk about walking in Glebe. They just do it.

2. Enmore

Enmore’s scale forces walking. The strip, the venues, the streets around it all pull people onto the footpath. Short trips become long walks without anyone noticing.

3. Camperdown

Camperdown moves on foot. Between universities, hospitals, parks, and spillover from Newtown, walking becomes the default rather than a choice.

4. Marrickville

Marrickville is big, but the way people live in it is local. Walking happens in pockets, but those pockets are active and constant. Daily errands are almost always done on foot.

5. Newtown

Newtown ranks high, but not at the top, because walking here is purposeful rather than relaxed. People walk a lot, but it’s often busy, crowded, and directional rather than wandering.

6. Stanmore

Stanmore walks better than it looks. Proximity to Enmore and Newtown pulls people out of their cars and onto the street without much thought.

7. Petersham

Petersham supports walking through routine. The station, pubs, cafés, and residential streets all sit close enough that walking becomes habit rather than effort.

8. Dulwich Hill

Dulwich Hill is a slow-walk suburb. People walk dogs, push prams, and run errands without urgency. It’s understated, but consistent.

9. Drummoyne

Drummoyne walks more than people expect. Waterfront paths, local shops, and short daily loops pull residents out on foot even if the suburb isn’t dense.

10. Leichhardt

Leichhardt’s walking revolves around habit. People walk to eat, walk to shop, walk to repeat the same routes. It’s less spontaneous, but very real.

11. Alexandria

Alexandria walks well in bursts. Dense pockets generate a lot of foot traffic, but movement is often destination-led rather than casual.

12. Croydon

Croydon walks quietly. Near the centre, people do most daily tasks on foot. Outside that core, walking drops off quickly.

13. Summer Hill

Summer Hill’s walking lives around the village. Inside that bubble, walking dominates. Outside it, the suburb becomes more car-dependent.

14. Forest Lodge

Forest Lodge benefits from gravity. People walk because nearby suburbs pull them along. It’s less self-driven, but still active.

15. Lewisham

Lewisham walks functionally. People walk because it makes sense, not because it’s enjoyable. It’s practical rather than social.

16. Canterbury

Canterbury has walkable pockets, but they’re fragmented. Walking happens, but rarely feels central to daily life.

17. Campsie

Campsie walks hard near the centre. Outside that zone, movement becomes more vehicle-driven. Walking exists, but it’s uneven.

18. Ashfield

Ashfield walks efficiently. People walk to stations and shops, but rarely wander. It’s direct, not leisurely.

19. Haberfield

Haberfield walks selectively. Beautiful streets encourage walking, but daily errands still often involve a car.

20. Russell Lea

Russell Lea walks for scenery, not necessity. Walking happens, but it’s optional rather than built-in.

21. Ashbury

Ashbury is quiet and contained. Walking exists, but most daily movement stays close to home.

22. Hurlstone Park

Hurlstone Park walks modestly. Station access helps, but the suburb itself doesn’t pull people out on foot.

23. Sydenham

Sydenham walks in transition. Some pockets are improving, but infrastructure still interrupts flow.

24. Lilyfield

Lilyfield walks occasionally rather than constantly. Movement is calm, but not frequent.

25. Earlwood

Earlwood is spread out and hilly. Walking happens, but it’s rarely the default.

26. Tempe

Tempe walks least. Major roads, infrastructure, and layout push people toward cars even for short trips.

Walking reveals how a suburb actually works. Not how it’s marketed, but how it’s lived.

The places where people walk the most are usually the places where life feels simplest.

From the Desk of Ramon Raneal