As El Cerrito strives to become more walkable, a new ranking puts the city's "walkability" index higher than average but not in the top tier.

According to a walkable cities index published this week by the web site Walk Score, El Cerrito earned a “somewhat walkable” score of 64 among the 372 largest cities in California. The state average was 50.

Albany next door ranked second highest in the state, scoring a "very walkable" 86, meaning most errands can be completed on foot. West Hollywood took top walkability honors with 89, while San Franciso came in third with 85. Berkeley scored 82 and Alameda 68.

The measurements are based on the proximity to neighborhood services such as libraries, schools, grocery stores and parks.

The Walk Score index also measures the walkability of specific addresses within a given city, meaning that the walkability score can vary tremendously from neighborhood to neighborhood. For instance, this map shows how the southeast quadrant of El Cerrito is much more pedestrian friendly than the hilly, more purely residential eastern portion.

“What puts El Cerrito higher (than most cities) is our proximity to the BART station and numerous bus lines,” said Melanie Mintz, the city’s environmental services manager.

“What it also speaks to is how we’re in between being a suburb and an urban center,” she said.

For El Cerrito to be a more walkable and robust place, Mintz said, a mix of housing and businesses would have to come in, a procees that she said depends largely on the private sector. Mintz said that in the meantime, the city’s general plan is to diversify development and continue to provide a wide array of services.

“We’d love to see our score continue to increase. It’s a good sign,” said Mintz, who noted that Walk Score is a fun tool that many real estate agents in the area are using to attract home-buyers.