Charlotte/Mecklenburg County, NC
2020 ParkScore® ranking: #95
Our analysis is based on four characteristics of an effective park system:
access, investment, acreage, and amenities.
How we calculated Charlotte/Mecklenburg County’s ParkScore rating:
Access
3 out of 100
Acreage
63 out of 100
Investment
26 out of 100
Amenities
27 out of 100
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How does it work?
Cities can earn a maximum ParkScore rating of 100.
In evaluating park systems, we include land owned by all public agencies within the 100 most populous U.S. cities that functions as a park. ParkScore index methodology
Everyone deserves a park within a 10-minute walk of home.
Is Charlotte/Mecklenburg County meeting that goal?
37%
of residents live within a 10 minute walk of a park.
National average 55%
Percent of residents within a
10-minute walk of a park by age
Children (0 - 19)
Adults (20 - 64)
Seniors (65+)
Percent of residents within a
10-minute walk of a park by income
Percent of residents within a 10-minute walk of a park by race/ethnicity
6%
of Charlotte/Mecklenburg County's city land is used for parks and recreation.
National median 15%
Where in Charlotte/Mecklenburg County are parks needed most?
Charlotte/Mecklenburg County has 332 parks
We’ve mapped park access in 14,000 cities and towns across the country. Our free mapping platform helps you pinpoint where to focus park investments in your city.
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Charlotte/Mecklenburg County Park Amenities Compared to the 100 Largest U.S. Cities
Basketball Hoops
60 th percentile
3.7 per 10,000 people
Dog Parks
23 rd percentile
0.6 per 100,000 people
Playgrounds
30 th percentile
2.1 per 10,000 people
Bathrooms
9 th percentile
0.6 per 10,000 people
Recreation and Senior Centers
23 rd percentile
0.5 per 20,000 people
Splashpads
34 th percentile
0.8 per 100,000 people
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ParkServe methodology
Download the data
Park summary for Charlotte/Mecklenburg County
All park access data for the U.S.
2020 City Park Facts
Parkscore ranking analysis
Our 10-Minute Walk™ campaign calls on mayors to demonstrate their commitment to parks and adopt long-term, system-wide strategies to ensure every resident has a great park close to home.
Tell your mayor: pledge to make parks a priority!
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You believe everyone deserves access to great parks. We can help you reach that goal.
Contact Kent Whitehead, North Carolina State Director at the Trust for Public Land
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We’re helping people connect with nature near you
The Carolina Thread Trail

The Trust for Public Land's Carolina Thread Trail (CTT) is a network of trails and greenways that will eventually connect 15 counties and 2.3 million citizens in North and South Carolina, linking people, places, cities, towns and attractions.Read more

Hopper's Stream

In May 2000, TPL helped protect 23 acres bounded by an important tributary to Mountain Island Lake.Read more

Water's Edge

In 1999, the proposed construction of 454 homes threatened 425 acres on the western side of Mountain Island Lake, only a thousand feet from water intakes for the communities of Gastonia and Mount Holly.Read more