Top 15 Wheelchair-Friendly Cities in the US: Making sure that people who have trouble moving around can get to places is an important part of urban planning in the United States. The result is that many cities and towns across the country have made big steps forward in making places open and usable for people in wheelchairs.
These towns want to improve the quality of life for both their residents and visitors by putting an emphasis on mobility measures like public transportation systems that work for everyone and improvements to all of their infrastructure.
Because of improvements in technology, more people with disabilities, and an older population, the global wheelchair market is growing very quickly. In 2022, the market was worth USD 4.8 billion. By 2030, it’s expected to have grown at a CAGR of 7.2%, or USD 8.4 billion. In 2022, North America led the market by revenue share, with 34.9% of the total.
The market is growing because more and more people are getting older, which makes movement problems linked to getting older more common, and the number of people with disabilities is going up around the world.
Wheelchair designs that include new technologies like connectivity features and easy-to-use platforms are raising customer standards and driving market growth.
The United States is becoming a big market for wheelchairs as the COVID-19 disease grows and more people get spinal cord injuries. Still, the market is likely to be limited by new limits and higher demand caused by chronic diseases and an older population.
The amount of money Canada spends on health care each year is about USD 300 billion, which is the second most of any OECD country.
Check Out: Unclaimed IRS Stimulus Checks from 2020 Now Available for Claim; Check details
Top 15 Wheelchair-Friendly Cities in the US
We have made a list of the 15 best places in the US for people in wheelchairs. The list is shown in ascending order of points.
-
Orlando, Florida
A lot of people know that Orlando, Florida, is one of the easiest cities in the US to get around in a wheelchair. In particular, its Disney World and Universal Studios theme parks have wheelchair-accessible rooms.
Lynx, an accessible transportation system, and a full healthcare system also help Orlando’s image as a place that is open to people with disabilities. The city is easier for people with disabilities to get around in because it has a mild temperature and a lot of medical services.
2. Seattle, Washington
Many hospital centers, such as Swedish Hospital Center, Harborview, and Virginia Mason, are wheelchair-accessible in Seattle, Washington, which is one of the most wheelchair-accessible cities in the United States.
Sound Transit runs bus and light rail lines that connect to these sites. A paratransit van service and Metro Transit’s shared ride program are also ways to get there.
Many of Seattle’s wheelchair-dependent residents can get around the city thanks to its wheelchair-accessible sites and more than 900 wheelchair-accessible restaurants.
3. Chicago, Illinois
Chicago, Illinois, is one of the wheelchair-friendly cities in the US, and it also has a large number of disabled people—over 520,000 people, or 10.1% of the total population, say they have a condition.
The city has made progress in making its train stops accessible to people with disabilities; at the moment, 90 of the 145 stations meet ADA requirements.
The city provides a range of accessibility services, such as wheelchair-accessible rooms, rules that allow people to bring service animals, communication in American Sign Language, and the provision of materials in different forms.
4. Albuquerque, New Mexico
People in wheelchairs can get around easily in Albuquerque, New Mexico; in fact, 28% of the city’s 23,803 disabled people have jobs. It has top hospitals and transportation that is ADA-compliant, and it is named sixth for wheelchair-user comfort.
The average family income is $61,503, and the average income per person is $36,879, so the economy is doing very well. The healthcare sector is especially strong. The Parks and Recreation Department supports ease and acceptance by making sure that the ADA is followed.
5. New Orleans, Louisiana
Raleigh, North Carolina has shown its commitment by having 403 places that are easy for people with disabilities to get to. The city or town makes sure that all tourists, even those with disabilities, can use its services and facilities.
In Raleigh, permanent parking stickers cost $5, which could be inconvenient for people who have trouble hearing, seeing, moving around, or thinking.
6. Denver, Colorado
There are 61,341 handicapped people living in Denver, Colorado. The city is famous for having wheelchair-accessible buildings that meet ADA standards. Wheelchair-accessible transportation choices in the city include buses and a fully accessible light rail system with 46 stops. There is also a light rail system that goes to the airport.
Downtown Denver, including Larimer Square, the senate building, the botanical parks, the Denver Zoo, and the Denver Art Museum, is kept wheelchair-accessible. As with most junctions, curb cuts are present.
Staunton State Park is about 40 miles south of Denver. To help disabled guests, the park gives them a free motorized trackchair that they can use on the park’s three accessible trails, which add up to about 13 miles of trail.
7. New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana, is fifth on the list of cities with the most sights, accommodations, and transportation choices that people with disabilities can use. It gives buses and streetcars electric lifts and other features that make them accessible to people in wheelchairs.
Many places in the city, like the New Orleans Museum of Art, The National World War II Museum, and many restaurants and hotels, are wheelchair accessible.
8. Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama, which has a large disabled population (14.5 percent of people under 65 years old) and is actively improving wheelchair mobility, is now ranked as one of the best places for handicapped people to get around.
More ways to get around are made possible by the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority, which runs close to 22 paratransit cars. People with disabilities can get extra help from HealthSouth and the University of Alabama in Birmingham’s medical services.
There are many wheelchair-accessible places in the city, such as centers for independent living and therapy facilities, that help create supportive settings.
Check Out: Biden’s $7.266 Trillion Budget Proposal: Key Insights and Implications
9. Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia, is sixth on the list of the most wheelchair-accessible cities and towns in the US. It is known for its Atlanta Zoo and Georgia Aquarium. It is thought that about 12.3% of people in Georgia have a disability, with Fulton County having the highest rate.
Even though it has problems, Atlanta has 3,855 ads for accessible properties and places like the Georgia Aquarium and the Atlanta Zoo that are accessible by wheelchair.
10. Fort Worth, Texas.
Out of a total population of about 956 709 people, 7.1% of people under 65 in Fort Worth, Texas are impaired. The Amon Carter Museum of American Art and the Kimbell Art Museum are two of the Cultural District’s institutions that are especially easy for wheelchair users to get to.
The Perot Museum of Nature and Science has a lot of different exhibits that make the experience even better for visitors. The transportation business in Fort Worth also makes a big difference in the economy, as shown by the fact that it brought in a total of $2,859,698 in 2017.
11. Orlando, Florida
People in wheelchairs can get around in Tampa, Florida, which is one of the most wheelchair-accessible towns. Because about 8.9% of the population lives with a disability, the city or town offers ADA-compliant sites like Busch Gardens and the Florida Aquarium, as well as parks and paths that are easy for everyone to use.
There are also door-to-door transportation services in Tampa for the old and disabled, such as the Sunshine Line and bus passes.
12. Baltimore, Maryland
In the United States, 11.9% of the population has a disability, and it is expected that following the ADA will cost over $650 million. Baltimore is one of the fifteen most accessible towns in the country.
It offers easy-to-use transportation options, like buses and subways, that connect people to important places.
The Inner Harbor neighborhood has shops and sites that are easy to get to. The goal of programs like the Complete Streets program is to make things easier for people with disabilities to use. As per the Complete Streets Manual, 3,600 miles of walkways are kept up.
13. Las Vegas, Nevada
People think of Las Vegas as one of the most wheelchair-accessible cities in the US. There are many accessible hotels and apartments in close proximity to famous sites.
Some of the many accessible features that the city’s large resorts offer are spas, theater, and restaurants. In Las Vegas, people with disabilities can get help from ADA experts at hotels.
For a more inclusive experience, the city has sights like the High Roller Ferris Wheel and the SlotZilla Zip Line that are easy for everyone to enjoy. Some hotels even offer free gambling classes with sign language speakers.
14. Portland, Oregon
It is well known that Portland, Oregon can be reached by wheelchair. Since 12.9% of the population uses wheelchairs, the town makes sure that all of its facilities and places of interest are wheelchair-accessible for the benefit of both residents and visitors.
15. Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida is one of the easiest places in the US to get around in a wheelchair. It also has services and amenities for disabled people.
Transportation services for wheelchair users and wheelchair-friendly facilities at Crandon Park Beach both help make the park more available to people in wheelchairs.
Shake-A-Leg Miami offers things that are easy for everyone to do, like swimming and sailing. The goal of projects like the MyPath project is to make things easier for everyone to use by using AI-powered systems.
