Urban Development Walking Distance from Home
Data Sources: Rapid Risk Factor Surveillance System (RRFSS), 2011.
Sample: Residents 18 years and over in the KFL&A area.
Released: March 2014
| Introduction | |||||||||||||||
| Respondents were asked to imagine a scenario where they were going to make a decision today about where to live. They were asked to consider many items (shown below in this Facts & Figures), and how important each item would be to have within a 10 minute walk or 1 km of your home. | |||||||||||||||
| Parks, trails and open green spaces | |||||||||||||||
For Figure A, respondents were asked "if you were making a decision today about where to live, how important would it be to have parks, trails and open green spaces within a 10 minute walk or 1 km of your home?"
Figure A. Importance of parks, trails and open green spaces, KFL&A, 2011
Interpretation for Figure AIn 2011, 48.2% (45.5-50.9) of residents, 18+, in KFL&A felt it is very important to have parks, trails and open green spaces within a 10 minute walk or 1 km of home when making a decision about where to live. |
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| Importance of recreational facilities | |||||||||||||||
For Figure B, respondents were asked "if you were making a decision today about where to live, how important would it be to have recreational facilities within a 10 minute walk or 1 km of your home?"
Figure B. Importance of recreational facilities, KFL&A, 2011 |
|
Importance Category |
Adults, 18+ |
95% Confidence Interval |
|---|---|---|
|
Very important |
31.8% |
29.3, 34.5 |
|
Somewhat important |
40.4% |
37.7, 43.1 |
|
Not very important |
19.9% |
17.8, 22.1 |
|
Not at all important |
7.9% |
6.5, 9.5 |
Interpretation for Figure B
In KFL&A, 31.8% (29.3-34.5) of residents, 18+, felt it is very important to have recreational facilities within a 10 minute walk or 1 km of home when making a decision about where to live (2011).
Figure C. Importance of grocery stores, KFL&A, 2011
|
Importance Category |
Adults, 18+ |
95% Confidence Interval |
|---|---|---|
|
Very important |
56.2% |
53.5, 58.9 |
|
Somewhat important |
32.4% |
29.9, 35.0 |
|
Not very important |
9.1% |
7.7, 10.8 |
|
Not at all important |
2.3% |
1.6, 3.3 |
Interpretation for Figure C
In 2011, 56.2% (53.5-58.9) of residents, 18+, in KFL&A felt it is very important to have grocery stores within a 10 minute walk or 1 km of home when making a decision about where to live.
Figure D. Importance of retail stores, KFL&A, 2011
|
Importance Category |
Adults, 18+ |
95% Confidence Interval |
|---|---|---|
|
Very important |
18.1% |
16.2, 20.3 |
|
Somewhat important |
44.4% |
41.7, 47.1 |
|
Not very important |
29.7% |
27.2, 32.2 |
|
Not at all important |
7.8% |
6.4, 9.4 |
Interpretation for Figure D
In KFL&A, only 18.1% (16.2-20.3) of residents, 18+, felt it is very important to have retail stores within a 10 minute walk or 1 km of home when making a decision about where to live (2011).
Figure E. Importance of restaurants, KFL&A, 2011
|
Importance Category |
Adults, 18+ |
95% Confidence Interval |
|---|---|---|
|
Very important |
11.5% |
9.9, 13.3 |
|
Somewhat important |
42.7% |
40.0, 45.4 |
|
Not very important |
35.9% |
33.4, 38.6 |
|
Not at all important |
9.9% |
8.4, 11.7 |
Interpretation for Figure E
Only 11.5% (9.9-13.3) of residents, 18+, it is very important to have restaurants within a 10 minute walk or 1 km of home when making a decision about where to live (KFL&A area, 2011).
Importance of your workplace
For Figure F, respondents were asked "if you were making a decision today about where to live, how important would it be to have your workplace within a 10 minute walk or 1 km of your home?"
Figure F. Importance of your workplace, KFL&A, 2011
|
Importance Category |
Adults, 18+ |
95% Confidence Interval |
|---|---|---|
|
Very important |
29.9% |
27.3, 32.6 |
|
Somewhat important |
30.1% |
27.5, 32.8 |
|
Not very important |
18.0% |
15.9, 20.4 |
|
Not at all important |
22.1% |
19.9, 24.4 |
Interpretation for Figure F
In 2011, 29.9% (27.3-32.6) of residents, 18+, in KFL&A felt it is very important to have their workplace within a 10 minute walk or 1 km of home when making a decision about where to live.
Importance of schools
For Figure G, respondents were asked "if you were making a decision today about where to live, how important would it be to have schools within a 10 minute walk or 1 km of your home?"
Figure G. Importance of schools, KFL&A, 2011
|
Importance Category |
Adults, 18+ |
95% Confidence Interval |
|---|---|---|
|
Very important |
35.6% |
32.9, 38.3 |
|
Somewhat important |
17.9% |
15.8, 20.1 |
|
Not very important |
18.5% |
16.5, 20.8 |
|
Not at all important |
28.1% |
25.7, 30.6 |
Interpretation for Figure G
In KFL&A, 35.6% (32.9-38.3) of residents, 18+, felt it is very important to have schools within a 10 minute walk or 1 km of home when making a decision about where to live (2011).
Importance of community centres or libraries
For Figure H, respondents were asked "if you were making a decision today about where to live, how important would it be to have community centres or libraries within a 10 minute walk or 1 km of your home?"
Figure H. Importance of community centres or libraries, KFL&A, 2011
|
Importance Category |
Adults, 18+ |
95% Confidence Interval |
|---|---|---|
|
Very important |
28.6% |
26.2, 31.1 |
|
Somewhat important |
43.7% |
41.0, 46.4 |
|
Not very important |
18.3% |
16.3, 20.5 |
|
Not at all important |
9.4% |
8.0, 11.1 |
Interpretation for Figure H
Only 28.6% (26.2-31.1) of residents, 18+, felt it is very important to have community centers or libraries within a 10 minute walk or 1 km of home when making a decision about where to live (KFL&A area, 2011).
Importance of public transportation
For Figure I, respondents were asked "if you were making a decision today about where to live, how important would it be to have public transportation within a 10 minute walk or 1 km of your home?"
Figure I. Importance of public transportation, KFL&A, 2011
|
Importance Category |
Adults, 18+ |
95% Confidence Interval |
|---|---|---|
|
Very important |
32.2% |
29.7, 34.8 |
|
Somewhat important |
22.9% |
20.6, 25.3 |
|
Not very important |
24.6% |
22.3, 27.1 |
|
Not at all important |
20.3% |
18.2, 22.6 |
Interpretation for Figure I
In 2011, 32.2% (29.7-34.8) of residents, 18+, in KFL&A felt it is very important to have public transportation within a 10 minute walk or 1 km of home when making a decision about where to live.
Notes
Confidence intervals explained
Researchers look at the "confidence levels" of percentages being compared to decide if there is a statistically significant difference between percentages. A statistically significant difference means that:
- the difference between two percentages is unlikely to have occurred by chance alone, and
- there is a true difference or change in the percentages.
In this report, 95% confidence intervals will accompany each percentage in all figures and tables. This interval represents the range in which we are 95% confident the true percentage will fall within. In tables, the 95% confidence intervals will be written with the percentage, followed by the 95% confidence interval range in brackets (e.g., 25% (12.3, 32.4)). In figures, the 95% confidence interval is represented by vertical bars in each bar line.