Charlotte/Mecklenburg County, NC
2021 ParkScore® ranking: #91
Our analysis is based on five characteristics of an effective park system:
access, investment, acreage, amenities, and equity.
access, investment, acreage, amenities, and equity.
How we calculated Charlotte/Mecklenburg County’s ParkScore rating:
Access
7 out of 100
Acreage
63 out of 100
Investment
31 out of 100
Amenities
34 out of 100
Equity
39 out of 100
We're working to ensure there's a park within a 10-minute walk of home
of every person, in every neighborhood, in every city across America.
of every person, in every neighborhood, in every city across America.
Is Charlotte/Mecklenburg County meeting that goal?
39%
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
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
10-minute walk of a park by income
Percent of residents within a 10-minute walk of a park by race/ethnicity
*Excludes those that report Hispanic origin (which is captured separately from race by the U.S. Census).
Park Space Per Person by Race/Ethnicity Relative to City Median
Selected Findings:
Residents in neighborhoods of color have access to 5% more park space per person than the city median and 2% less than those in white neighborhoods.
Any Census-designated race/ethnicity not shown above does not meet the minimum threshold to be displayed.
Park Space per Person By Income Relative to the City Median
Selected Findings:
Residents in low-income neighborhoods have access to 11% more park space per person than the city median and 23% more than those in high-income neighborhoods.
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 334 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
66 th percentile
4.2 per 10,000 people
Dog Parks
19 th percentile
0.6 per 100,000 people
Playgrounds
70 th percentile
3.5 per 10,000 people
Bathrooms
15 th percentile
0.7 per 10,000 people
Recreation and Senior Centers
23 rd percentile
0.4 per 20,000 people
Splashpads
30 th percentile
0.8 per 100,000 people
Charlotte/Mecklenburg County’s Park Spending Per Capita
Charlotte/Mecklenburg County’s total spending per capita: $70
National Averages, Spending Per Capita:
City agency: $81 (85%) Other public agencies: $6 (6%)
Private organizations: $5 (5%)
Monetized volunteer hours: $4 (4%)
TOTAL: $96
Download the data
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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