The Trust for Public Land released its annual ParkScore Index Wednesday, which ranks city parks across the nation based on such factors as access, acreage, investment and amenties.
Cincinnati climbed three spots to No. 7 this year, receiving strong marks for its park investment and amenities -- things like basketball hoops, playgrounds, recreation and senior centers, splash pads and restrooms.
"The research is clear: quality, close-to-home parks are essential to communities," Diane Regas, president and CEO of The Trust for Public Land, said in a release. "These ranks are the gold-standard for park access and quality, and empower people to hold their leaders accountable."
Minneapolis, MN, where 97 percent of residents live within a 10-minute walk to a park, held on to the top spot for the third consequetive year. The top 10 is as follows:
- Minneapolis, MN
- Saint Paul, MN
- Washington, DC
- Arlington, VA
- San Francisco
- Portland, OR
- Cincinnati
- Chicago
- New York
- Irvine, CA
Rounding out the bottom of the ranking are:
90. Baton Rouge, LA
91. Memphis, TN
92. Winston-Salem, NC
93. Laredo, TX
94. Fresno, CA
95. Hialeah, FL
96. Mesa, AZ
97. Charlotte, NC
Fort Wayne and Indianapolis both declined to participate in the study and were not ranked. Gilbert, AZ, also was not ranked due to a lack of available data.
The mission of The Trust for Public Land is for everyone to live within a 10-minute walk of a park, garden, or natural area.
