Des Moines, IA
2020 ParkScore® ranking: #34
Our analysis is based on four characteristics of an effective park system:
access, investment, acreage, and amenities.
How we calculated Des Moines’s ParkScore rating:
Access
55 out of 100
Acreage
82 out of 100
Investment
50 out of 100
Amenities
56 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
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.
Is Des Moines meeting that goal?
70%
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
13%
of Des Moines's city land is used for parks and recreation.
National median 15%
Where in Des Moines are parks needed most?
Des Moines has 158 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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Des Moines Park Amenities Compared to the 100 Largest U.S. Cities
Basketball Hoops
40 th percentile
2.7 per 10,000 people
Dog Parks
60 th percentile
1.3 per 100,000 people
Playgrounds
47 th percentile
2.6 per 10,000 people
Bathrooms
58 th percentile
2.1 per 10,000 people
Recreation and Senior Centers
54 th percentile
0.8 per 20,000 people
Splashpads
95 th percentile
7.4 per 100,000 people
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ParkServe methodology
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Park summary for Des Moines
All park access data for the U.S.
2020 City Park Facts
Parkscore ranking analysis
Mayor Frank Cownie has pledged to adopt long-term, system-wide strategies to make sure every Des Moines 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 Cownie
Learn about the 10-Minute Walk campaign