Madison, WI
2021 ParkScore® ranking: #13
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 Madison’s ParkScore rating:
Access
93 out of 100
Acreage
57 out of 100
Investment
79 out of 100
Amenities
72 out of 100
Equity
66 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 Madison meeting that goal?
95%
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 35% more park space per person than the city median and 5% 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 46% less park space per person than the city median and 69% less than those in high-income neighborhoods.
11%
of Madison's city land is used for parks and recreation.
National median 15%
Where in Madison are parks needed most?
Madison has 284 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
Madison Park Amenities Compared to the 100 Largest U.S. Cities
Basketball Hoops
96 th percentile
10.2 per 10,000 people
Dog Parks
96 th percentile
4.2 per 100,000 people
Playgrounds
100 th percentile
7.1 per 10,000 people
Bathrooms
83 rd percentile
2.8 per 10,000 people
Recreation and Senior Centers
1 st percentile
0.1 per 20,000 people
Splashpads
41 st percentile
1.1 per 100,000 people
Madison’s Park Spending Per Capita
Madison’s total spending per capita: $155
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!
Find out how
Partner with us
You believe we all need access to great parks. We can help you reach that goal.
Contact Susan Schmidt, Wisconsin State Director at the Trust for Public Land
We’re helping people connect with nature near you
