Top 12 U.S. cities
Report: Parks and an equitable recovery
We've measured who does and does not have access to the outdoors in America—and uncovered some major disparities. Read more about this alarming data and learn how we can build a better path forward in our 2021 report, “Parks and an equitable recovery.”
Read the report
Why we publish the ParkScore index
The Trust for Public Land's ParkScore index is the national gold-standard comparison of park systems across the 100 most populated cities in the United States. Published annually, the index measures park systems according to five categories: access, investment, amenities, acreage, and—new for
2021—equity.
Beyond the ranking of 100 cities, the data behind the ParkScore index also reveals park access levels for nearly every city and town in the United States. This powerful tool provides communities with the information needed to help close the park equity gap.
Parks are essential for public health, climate resilience, and strong connected communities. And yet, 100 million people in the U.S.—including 28 million
kids—don't have a park within a 10-minute walk of home.
We have the data to pinpoint where parks are needed the most.
How do we calculate the scores? Read our methodology.
Help us close the park equity gap
Public health and park access are too often determined by zip code. But you can help change that. Tell your Representative to cosponsor the Parks, Jobs, and Equity Act so that we can ensure every community has a safe place to play in nature close to home.
