Most people judge a neighborhood by what’s on the surface — clean streets, nice houses, maybe a bit of green. But what’s beneath our feet often tells a more powerful story. I’m talking about impervious surfaces — the roads, rooftops, driveways, and parking lots that can’t absorb water.
It sounds boring, but it’s not.
Impervious surface data can reveal how a neighborhood was built, who it was built for, and how it handles stress — from floods to heat waves to housing costs.
zoom in friendly ^^ —>>
Here’s what I’ve learned:
🌧️ Flood Risk Rises With Pavement
When neighborhoods are 60–80% paved, water has nowhere to go. That leads to flash floods, sewer overflows, and damage — especially in lower-income areas that lack proper drainage infrastructure.
🔥 More Pavement = More Heat
Paved areas trap heat. In heat maps, you’ll often see that the hottest zip codes are also the most paved — and the least shaded. That’s no accident. These areas tend to have fewer trees, parks, and permeable surfaces.
🚗 The Parking Lot Effect
Large impervious areas — especially parking lots — often show up in car-centric neighborhoods with poor walkability. That has ripple effects on everything from air quality to social connection.
📊 The Data Is There — But Hidden
Impervious surface data exists through satellite imagery and city planning databases. But it’s rarely used in real estate tools or community planning conversations. That’s something I want to change through EcoScore and neighborhood data tools.
Why It Matters:
Impervious surface percentage might sound like a technical metric, but it’s actually a shortcut to understanding climate risk, walkability, and livability — all in one number.
It’s one of those data points that quietly explains why some places feel hotter, flood more often, or feel less connected than others. And once you see it, you can’t unsee it.
The Data Lot 