Top American Cities for Parks

The Trust for Public Land (TPL) conducted a survey among the 100 largest cities as part of its annual ParkScore^®️ index. These cities collectively shared almost 800 examples of what they consider to be the most effective ways of using their parks and recreation systems to promote physical activity, improve mental health, and increase social connections. TPL ranks these cities by comparing five park categories: equity, access, investment, amenities, and acreage. For 2023, the top 12 cities are:

1. Washington, D.C.
2. St. Paul, MN
3. Minneapolis, MN
4. Irvine, CA
5. Arlington, VA
6. Cincinnati, OH
7. San Francisco, CA
8. Seattle, WA
9. Portland, OR
10. Boston, MA (tied with New York, NY)
11. New York, NY (tied with Boston, MA)
12. Chicago, IL

TPL argues that cities with the highest ParkScore^®️ rankings are healthier places to live. Please refer to their exclusive 2023 report to learn more, including what cities are already doing and what more they can do to achieve even better mental, physical, and environmental health outcomes through park investments and programming.