The Trust for Public Land Release ParkScore Ratings for 50 Largest U.S. Cities
Atlanta earned two and one half “park benches” on The Trust for Public Land’s ParkScore® index, ranking 31st (tied with Tulsa) among the 50 largest U.S. cities. Atlanta was one of only four ParkScore cities to improve its zero-to-five park bench rating for 2013, scoring ½-bench higher than last year. Other cities improving their bench ratings were New York, Long Beach, and Fresno. On last year’s Park Score index, Atlanta ranked 26th of 40 cities evaluated.
ParkScore ratings are based equally on three factors: Park access, which measures the percentage of residents living within a 10-minute walk of a park (approximately ½-mile); Park size, which is based on a city’s median park size and the percentage of total city area dedicated to parks; and Services and investment, which combines the number of playgrounds per 10,000 city residents and per capita park spending.
Atlanta’s ParkScore was boosted by a high number of playgrounds—2.6 per 10,000 residents, an amount above the ParkScore average of 2.25. This city’s park access score was the same as the ParkScore average, with 64 percent of Atlanta residents living within a 10-minute walk of a park. However, Atlanta’s ParkScore was hurt by low marks for park acreage. Only 5.3 percent of Atlanta’s city area is devoted to parkland, compared to the national ParkScore average of just over 10 percent.
ParkScore uses advanced GIS (geographic information system) computer mapping technology to create digital maps evaluating park accessibility, making it the most realistic assessment system available. In addition to the at-a-glance park bench summary rating, ParkScore features an in-depth website that local leaders can use as a roadmap to guide park improvement efforts. The website, parkscore.tpl.org, provides extensive data and analysis that pinpoints the neighborhoods where parks are needed most critically. The website is free and open to the public.
According to The Trust for Public Land, the 10 highest-ranking city park systems in the United States are:
1. Minneapolis 5.0 park benches
2. New York 4.5 park benches
3. Boston (tie) 4.0 park benches
3. Sacramento (tie) 4.0 park benches
3. San Francisco (tie) 4.0 park benches
6. Washington, DC 4.0 park benches
7. Portland 4.0 park benches
8. Virginia Beach 4.0 park benches
9. San Diego 4.0 park benches
10. Seattle 4.0 park benches
The 13 lowest-ranking city park systems are:
38. Houston (tie) 2.0 park benches
38. Miami (tie) 2.0 park benches
38. Nashville (tie) 2.0 park benches
38. Tucson (tie) 2.0 park benches
42. Memphis 1.5 park benches
43. Oklahoma City 1.5 park benches
44. Jacksonville (tie) 1.5 park benches
44. San Antonio (tie) 1.5 park benches
46. Mesa, AZ 1.5 park benches
47. Indianapolis (tie) 1.0 park benches
47. Charlotte (tie) 1.0 park benches
49. Louisville 1.0 park benches
50. Fresno 1.0 park benches
For more information about ParkScore, please visit parkscore.tpl.org and join the discussion on Twitter @TPL_org #ParkScore.
About The Trust for Public Land
Founded in 1972, The Trust for Public Land is the leading nonprofit working to conserve land for people. Operating from more than 30 offices nationwide, The Trust for Public Land has protected more than three million acres from the inner city to the wilderness and helped generate more than $34 billion in public funds for conservation. Nearly ten million people live within a ten-minute walk of a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year. Learn more at tpl.org.
