The Popsicle index is the percentage of people in any given neighborhood that believe that a child can walk to the nearest store and buy a Popsicle and return home safely. The Popsicle Index is derived from a one question survey that ask On a scale of one to ten, how safe is it in your opinion, for a child to walk to school or to the nearest store and return home safely?  The responses are compiled on a street by street basis.