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Houston, TX
70
Houston, Texas city image
How we calculate the Houston ParkScore® Rating

The ranking for Houston is based on five characteristics of an effective park system: access, investment, acreage, amenities, and equity.

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Access
40
Acreage
50
Investment
41
Amenities
37
Equity
43
60% of Houston residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park. National Average 55%

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.

See Our Work in Texas
How are the parks distributed?
Houston residents who live within a 10-minute walk of a park
By Age (%)
Children (0 - 19)
59
Adults (20 - 64)
61
Seniors (65+)
63
By Income (%)
High Income
64
Middle Income
59
Low Income
59
Race/Ethnicity (%)
American Indian*
61
Asian*
55
Black*
58
Hispanic
61
Pacific Islander*
55
White*
65
2 or More Races*
59
Other*
64
*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
Residents in neighborhoods where most people identify as a person of color have access to 1% less 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.
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Where are the parks most needed?
Houston has 669 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.

Our Work in Texas
How do park amenities measure up?
We compared Houston against the others to determine where it falls for spending per capita.
Basketball Hoops
38
3.1 per 10,000 people
Playgrounds
32
2.5 per 10,000 people
Rec & Senior Centers
36
0.6 per 20,000 people
Dog Parks
40
1.2 per 100,000 people
Bathrooms
21
0.7 per 10,000 people
Splashpads
56
1.5 per 100,000 people
How much is Houston investing in parks?
We compared Houston against the others to determine where it falls for spending per capita
Park Spending per Capita
  • City agency
    $37 (41%)
  • Other public agencies
    $38 (42%)
  • Private organizations
    $17 (19%)
  • Monetized volunteer hours
    $0 (%)
$91
Total Spending Per Capita
  • 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
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Make the Commitment
Pledge to make parks a priority!
Everyone should have access to a quality park within a 10-minute walk of home. Our 10-Minute Walk™ Program calls on mayors to demonstrate their commitment to parks and adopt long-term, system-wide strategies that accelerate the creation of parks.
10-minute walk link Visit the 10-Minute Walk Program website to learn how your city can get involved.
Explore the Data
Trust for Public Land maintains the country’s most comprehensive databases on city parks. Check them out to learn more.
National Data Downloads ParkScore Rankings City Park Facts