Chicago, IL
2022 Trust for Public Land ParkScore® Ranking: #6
Chicago’s ranking 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 Chicago’s ParkScore® Rating:
Access
98 out of 100
Acreage
32 out of 100
Investment
91 out of 100
Amenities
72 out of 100
Equity
91 out of 100
We're working to ensure that every person, in every neighborhood, in every city
across America has a quality park within a 10-minute walk of home.
across America has a quality park within a 10-minute walk of home.
Is Chicago meeting that goal?
98%
of residents live within a 10 minute walk of a park.
Median for the 100 ParkScore® cities: 75%
Median for the 14,000 cities and towns in our ParkServe® database: 55%
Median for the 14,000 cities and towns in our ParkServe® database: 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).
Nearby park space by race/ethnicity
Additional Findings:
Residents in neighborhoods where most people identify as a person of color have access to 13% more park space per person than those in predominantly white neighborhoods.
Any Census-designated race/ethnicity not shown above does not meet the minimum threshold to be displayed.
Nearby park space by income
Additional Findings:
Residents in low-income neighborhoods have access to 31% more park space per person than those in high-income neighborhoods.
10%
of Chicago's city land is used for parks and recreation.
Median for 100 ParkScore® cities: 19%
Median for all 14,000 cities and towns in our ParkServe® database: 15%
Where in Chicago Are Parks Needed Most?
Chicago Has 1242 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.
Explore the map
Chicago Park Amenities Compared to the 100 Most-Populous U.S. Cities
Basketball Hoops
65 points out of 100
4.8 per 10,000 people
Dog Parks
38 points out of 100
1.1 per 100,000 people
Playgrounds
56 points out of 100
3.6 per 10,000 people
Bathrooms
73 points out of 100
2.3 per 10,000 people
Recreation and Senior Centers
100 points out of 100
1.8 per 20,000 people
Splashpads
100 points out of 100
8.9 per 100,000 people
Chicago’s Park Spending Per Capita
Chicago’s total spending per capita: $182
National Averages, Spending Per Capita:
City agency: $83 (85%) Other public agencies: $7 (7%)
Private organizations: $5 (5%)
Monetized volunteer hours: $3 (3%)
TOTAL: $98
These park facts are derived in part from Trust for Public Land's ParkServe® database.
Read more about our ParkServe database.
Read more about our ParkServe database.
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!
Find out how
Partner With Us
You believe we all need access to great parks. We can help you reach that goal.
Contact Caroline O'Boyle, Illinois State Director at the Trust for Public Land
We’re Helping People Connect with Nature Near You
