Chicago, IL
2019 ParkScore® ranking: #10
Our analysis is based on four characteristics of an effective park system:
access, investment, acreage, and amenities.
How we calculated Chicago’s ParkScore rating:
Access
97.5 out of 100
Acreage
35 out of 100
Investment
95 out of 100
Amenities
75 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 Chicago meeting that goal?
98%
of residents live within a 10 minute walk of a park.
National average 54%
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
10%
of Chicago's city land is used for parks and recreation.
National median 15%
Where in Chicago are parks needed most?
Chicago has 1230 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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Chicago Park Amenities Compared to the 100 Largest U.S. Cities
Basketball Hoops
75 th percentile
4.6 per 10,000 people
Dog Parks
46 th percentile
0.9 per 100,000 people
Playgrounds
75 th percentile
3.6 per 10,000 people
Bathrooms
69 th percentile
2.4 per 10,000 people
Recreation and Senior Centers
91 st percentile
1.7 per 20,000 people
Splashpads
98 th percentile
8.7 per 100,000 people
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Park summary for Chicago
All park access data for the U.S.
2019 City Park Facts
Parkscore ranking analysis
Mayor Rahm Emanuel has pledged to adopt long-term, system-wide strategies to make sure every Chicago resident has access to all the benefits parks provide.
"I have endorsed the vision that everyone deserves a park or open space within a 10-minute walk of home." — Mayor Emanuel
Learn about the 10-Minute Walk campaign
Partner with us
You believe everyone deserves access to great parks. We can help you reach that goal.
Contact Aaron Koch, Illinois State Director at the Trust for Public Land
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We’re helping people connect with nature near you
Ping Tom Park, Chicago
Ping Tom Memorial Park

Nearly 40 years after Chinatown's only public park was demolished to make way for the Dan Ryan Expressway, the South Side neighborhood celebrated the dedication of Ping Tom Memorial Park, a new five-acre jewel on the Chicago River.Read more

Mary Bartelme Park, Chicago

In 2007, TPL acquired a property and held it until it could become part of this new 2.6-acre neighborhood park in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood.Read more

Senka Park, Chicago
Senka Park

At the request of the city of Chicago, TPL optioned a former rail yard to expand tiny Senka Park in this predominantly blue-collar neighborhood on southwest Chicago and transferred it to the park service over three years.Read more