Walking is measured in several different ways: leisure participation, transportation trips, device-recorded steps and health outcomes in cohort studies. The figures below focus on U.S. adults for participation data and on international adult cohorts for step-count research, with each period and definition kept explicit.
Key Walking Statistics
These highlights span participation, transportation walking and the main step-count findings:
- In 2022, 58.7% of U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized adults reported walking for leisure in the previous 7 days.
- In 2022, 16.2% of U.S. adults reported walking for transportation in the previous 7 days.
- In 2022, 61.8% of U.S. adults aged 18–44 reported leisure walking.
- In 2022, 51.6% of U.S. adults aged 65 and older reported leisure walking.
- In 2022, 60.5% of U.S. women and 56.9% of U.S. men reported leisure walking.
- In 2022, 67.2% of U.S. adults at 400% of the federal poverty level or higher reported leisure walking.
- In 2022, 43.7% of U.S. adults with less than a high-school diploma or GED reported leisure walking.
- In 2022, 20.9% of U.S. adults aged 18–44 reported transportation walking.
- In 2022, 10.3% of U.S. adults aged 65 and older reported transportation walking.
- In 2022, 30.9% of U.S. adults with transportation insecurity reported transportation walking, compared with 15.3% without insecurity.
- In 2022, 27.7% of U.S. adults aged 18–24 reported transportation walking.
- In 2022, 39.6% of transportation-insecure U.S. adults in the West reported transportation walking, compared with 23.6% in the South.
- In cohort research published through July 9, 2021, 8,959 steps per day was associated with 40.36% lower all-cause mortality risk than 4,183 steps per day.
- In cohort research published through July 9, 2021, 9,500 steps per day was associated with 35.05% lower cardiovascular-event risk than 3,500 steps per day.
- In a meta-analysis searched through June 12, 2022, each additional 1,000 steps per day was associated with a 15% lower all-cause mortality risk.
- In the same 2022 evidence base, each additional 500 steps per day was associated with a 7% lower cardiovascular mortality risk.
- Among adults younger than 60 in a 15-cohort analysis, mortality risk was lowest around 8,000–10,000 steps per day.
- Among adults aged 60 and older in that analysis, mortality risk was lowest around 6,000–8,000 steps per day.
Contents
- Key Walking Statistics
- Walking Participation Statistics in the United States
- Walking Statistics by Age, Sex, Race and Income
- Transportation Walking Data and Access
- Walking, Steps and Mortality Risk
- Daily Steps and Cardiovascular Outcomes
- Walking Guidelines, Measurement and Evidence Limits
Walking Participation Statistics in the United States
The CDC/NCHS report Walking for Leisure and Transportation Among Adults: United States, 2022 defines leisure walking as walking for fun, relaxation, exercise or walking the dog during the previous 7 days. It is a self-reported yes/no measure: any duration and frequency qualify.
In the 2022 National Health Interview Survey, 58.7% of U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized adults reported leisure walking. This is participation during a seven-day recall period, not a measure of minutes, distance or steps. CDC/NCHS, Walking for Leisure and Transportation Among Adults: United States, 2022
Education and income showed descriptive differences in the same survey:
| 2022 U.S. adult group | Leisure walking | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Below 100% of the federal poverty level | 46.9% | Past-7-day self-report |
| 100%–199% of the federal poverty level | 50.6% | Past-7-day self-report |
| 200%–399% of the federal poverty level | 54.9% | Past-7-day self-report |
| 400% of the federal poverty level or higher | 67.2% | Past-7-day self-report |
| Less than high-school diploma or GED | 43.7% | Past-7-day self-report |
| High-school diploma or GED | 50.1% | Past-7-day self-report |
| Some college education | 58.0% | Past-7-day self-report |
| Bachelor’s degree or higher | 71.2% | Past-7-day self-report |
These subgroup estimates should not be read as causal effects of income or education. Family income refers to the prior year, while walking refers only to the prior seven days.
Walking Statistics by Age, Sex, Race and Income
Leisure walking participation varied across age, sex, race and ethnicity categories in the 2022 NHIS. The survey categories describe reported participation and should not be treated as biological or causal explanations.
| U.S. adult group, 2022 | Leisure walking | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 18–44 | 61.8% | Reported leisure walking in prior 7 days |
| Aged 45–64 | 59.1% | Reported leisure walking in prior 7 days |
| Aged 65+ | 51.6% | Reported leisure walking in prior 7 days |
| Women | 60.5% | Reported leisure walking in prior 7 days |
| Men | 56.9% | Reported leisure walking in prior 7 days |
| Black, non-Hispanic | 49.2% | Reported leisure walking in prior 7 days |
| Asian, non-Hispanic | 63.8% | Reported leisure walking in prior 7 days |
| White, non-Hispanic | 61.5% | Reported leisure walking in prior 7 days |
| Hispanic | 53.5% | Reported leisure walking in prior 7 days |
The source notes that Hispanic adults may be of any race, and that race and Hispanic origin are survey categories. CDC/NCHS, Walking for Leisure and Transportation Among Adults: United States, 2022
The age pattern is not a step-count ranking. A person can report leisure walking without reporting a particular frequency, duration or pace, so these percentages cannot be converted into daily walking totals.
Transportation Walking Data and Access
Transportation walking is a separate 2022 NHIS measure covering travel to work, errands or place-to-place travel; it excludes leisure walking by question design. Overall, 16.2% of U.S. adults reported transportation walking in the previous seven days.
The age and sex comparisons were:
- 20.9% of adults aged 18–44 reported transportation walking, compared with 13.4% of adults aged 45–64 and 10.3% of adults aged 65 and older.
- 17.3% of men reported transportation walking, compared with 15.0% of women.
- 21.6% of Asian non-Hispanic adults reported transportation walking, compared with 18.6% of Black non-Hispanic adults, 14.9% of White non-Hispanic adults and 16.3% of Hispanic adults.
- 24.1% of adults below 100% of the federal poverty level reported transportation walking.
- 19.7% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher reported transportation walking, compared with 13.2% of adults with a high-school diploma or GED.
- 9.7% of nonmetropolitan residents reported transportation walking.
These are cross-sectional, self-reported associations. A higher or lower percentage in a subgroup does not establish that poverty, education, geography or transportation access causes walking behavior. CDC/NCHS, Walking for Leisure and Transportation Among Adults: United States, 2022
Transportation insecurity adds another access-related distinction. A 2022 analysis of the NHIS found that 30.9% of adults with transportation insecurity reported transportation walking, compared with 15.3% without transportation insecurity.
| Transportation-insecure U.S. group, 2022 | Transportation walking |
|---|---|
| Adults aged 18–24 | 47.9% |
| Adults aged 65+ | 17.5% |
| Black, non-Hispanic adults | 42.6% |
| White, non-Hispanic adults | 24.5% |
| Less than high-school education | 38.8% |
| West Census region | 39.6% |
| South Census region | 23.6% |
The CDC article emphasizes that these subgroup comparisons are descriptive and cross-sectional. CDC, Transportation Walking Among US Adults With and Without Transportation Insecurity, 2022 National Health Interview Survey
Walking, Steps and Mortality Risk
Step-count research uses a different measurement system from the NHIS participation questions. The relevant studies are mainly prospective observational cohorts, often using accelerometers or other devices, so their hazard ratios and dose-response estimates describe associations rather than guaranteed benefits from a prescribed number of steps.
A dose-response meta-analysis of studies published through July 9, 2021 included 16 eligible publications. In accelerometer studies, 8,959 steps per day was associated with 40.36% lower all-cause mortality risk than 4,183 steps per day, while 9,500 steps per day was associated with 35.05% lower cardiovascular-event risk than 3,500 steps per day. PubMed, The relationships between step count and all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events: A dose-response meta-analysis
The same meta-analysis reported a summary relative risk of 0.31 for all-cause mortality when the highest step-count categories were compared with the lowest. Categories, confounding and outcome definitions varied across observational studies.
A second meta-analysis searched studies through June 12, 2022 and included 17 cohort studies with 226,889 participants. Median follow-up was 7.1 years, but follow-up varied among cohorts.
| Association from the 17-cohort meta-analysis | Estimate | Population and period |
|---|---|---|
| Each additional 1,000 steps/day and all-cause mortality | Hazard ratio 0.85 | Adults; studies searched through June 12, 2022 |
| Each additional 500 steps/day and cardiovascular mortality | Hazard ratio 0.93 | Adults; studies searched through June 12, 2022 |
| Model-derived all-cause mortality threshold | About 3,867 steps/day | Adults in included cohorts |
| Model-derived cardiovascular-mortality threshold | About 2,337 steps/day | Adults in included cohorts |
The authors’ pooled estimates mean that each additional 1,000 steps per day was associated with a 15% lower all-cause mortality risk, and each additional 500 steps per day with a 7% lower cardiovascular mortality risk. The thresholds are model-derived observational estimates, not universal clinical cutoffs. PubMed, The association between daily step count and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: a meta-analysis
A 15-cohort international analysis found that mortality risk was lowest around 8,000–10,000 steps per day among adults younger than 60 and around 6,000–8,000 steps per day among adults aged 60 and older. The analysis also reported a hazard ratio of 0.67 for the highest versus lowest quartile of peak 30-minute stepping rate and 0.67 for peak 60-minute stepping rate, adjusted for steps per day. PubMed, Daily steps and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of 15 international cohorts
Daily Steps and Cardiovascular Outcomes
The 2021 dose-response review also examined cardiovascular events among older adults. Compared with the lowest step-count quartile, the second quartile was associated with a 20% lower cardiovascular-event risk, the third with a 38% lower risk, and the highest with a 49% lower risk.
| Older-adult step-count category | Cardiovascular-event association | Evidence context |
|---|---|---|
| Second quartile vs lowest | Hazard ratio 0.80; 20% lower risk | Eight-study observational meta-analysis |
| Third quartile vs lowest | Hazard ratio 0.62; 38% lower risk | Eight-study observational meta-analysis |
| Highest quartile vs lowest | Hazard ratio 0.51; 49% lower risk | Eight-study observational meta-analysis |
Quartile boundaries varied across studies, so these categories do not define one universal step target. The results are pooled observational estimates and should not be interpreted as proof that moving into a particular quartile prevents cardiovascular events. PubMed, The relationships between step count and all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events: A dose-response meta-analysis
Walking Guidelines, Measurement and Evidence Limits
Walking participation is not the same as meeting the full physical-activity guidelines. In the 2014 NHIS summary, 21.3% of U.S. adults met both aerobic and muscle-strengthening guidelines, while 47.0% met neither; these measures cover broader self-reported leisure-time activity than walking alone. HHS, The State of Physical Activity in America
Historical estimates need separate treatment. In a 2011 national comparison, 62% of U.S. men aged 18 and older and 62% of U.S. women aged 18 and older reported any walking in the past week, while the rate for adults aged 45–64 was also 62%; the older survey wording and methodology should not be merged directly with the 2022 NHIS estimates. HHS, The State of Physical Activity in America
The main measurement limits are practical as well as statistical:
- NHIS estimates cover the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population and rely on self-report.
- Leisure and transportation questions use separate definitions, so their percentages should not be added together as a total walking rate.
- Step counts depend on device, wear location, wear time and processing.
- Cohort meta-analyses can be affected by residual confounding and reverse causality, and their device methods, category boundaries and endpoint definitions vary.
Together, these limitations explain why a participation percentage, a step-count threshold and a mortality hazard ratio answer different questions. Walking statistics are most useful when the population, recall period, measurement method and comparison group remain attached to the number.