The 10 Most Accessible Cities in the U.S.

Inclusive travel can feel like an afterthought in some U.S. cities—but not everywhere. Some places go the extra mile to ensure that everyone can enjoy the experience, regardless of their abilities or limitations.

The booking site Wander has highlighted the cities that do it best. Data analysts examined many factors to determine the following list of the most accessible cities. First, they collected the number of attractions (both wheelchair-friendly and not) from the most populated cities in the country to calculate the percentage of wheelchair-accessible attractions in each destination.

Wander also considered other factors—such as each city’s walkability score, percentage of wheelchair-friendly nature trails, and public transportation stations—for this ranking. The website then calculated a normalized score between 0 and 10 to rank each city. 

These Cities Care The Most About Accessibility

According to Wander’s findings, Detroit, Michigan, shines the brightest when it comes to accessibility for all. The city’s ADA standards (which lay out the accessibility requirements for a building or facility) for public rail stations are top-notch. Additionally, about 61.54 percent of The Motor City’s nature trails are accessible, although it lacks non-outdoor wheelchair-accessible sites.

Baltimore, Maryland, has several accessible destinations—41 percent of the city’s attractions are wheelchair-friendly. The area’s walkability score is also pretty high at 64 points out of 100. Wrapping up the top three cities is Seattle, Washington. This city boasts 16.02 public transportation stations per 100,000 people, one of the highest rates in the U.S., and ADA-compliant rail stations.

As promised, the places below are most accommodating to people of all abilities.

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