Trust for Public Land announced today that Dallas placed 43rd on the 2023 ParkScore index, climbing ten spots over last year with a boost from new park investments and major improvements to park amenities. Plano placed 16th, ranking first among Texas cities and dipping one spot from last year’s finish. Among other area cities, Arlington placed 74th, Fort Worth ranked 88th, Garland took 87th and Irving finished 99th.
Atop the ratings, Washington, DC, retained the national ParkScore title, finishing narrowly ahead of 2nd place Saint Paul. The ParkScore index evaluates park systems in the 100 most populous U.S. cities.
Dallas ranked 43rd, 10 spots ahead of last year’s finish, because the city significantly increased park investment and improved park amenities. Dallas now spends $124 per person on its park system, a big increase from last year’s $109. The national ParkScore average is $108. The city also improved access to dog parks and basketball hoops, boosting Dallas’ park amenities score.
“I am incredibly proud that Dallas is developing innovative green spaces at an unprecedented pace,” Dallas Mayor Eric L. Johnson said. “Parks are critical infrastructure in a modern city, and now is the time to take to the next level our efforts to make Dallas greener and greater for all. As the single biggest champion of Dallas’ park system, I am committed to ensuring Dallas becomes the city with the highest level of park access in Texas.”
Plano received high marks for its large median park size of 13.8 acres, more than double the national ParkScore average of 5.4 acres. The city also received strong marks for park investment, based on spending of $196 per resident, significantly above the national ParkScore average of $108. Eighty percent of Plano residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park, above the national ParkScore average of 76 percent.
Arlington also features a large median park size of 12.6 acres, but the city reduced park spending this year to $113 per person, down from 2022’s $123.
The following table summarizes key ParkScore data for area cities.
|
2023 ParkScore Index Rank (Change from 2022) |
Median Park Size (acres) |
Residents Within a 10-Minute Walk of a Park |
Spending per Resident |
|
|
Plano |
16 (-1) |
13.8 |
80% |
$196 |
|
Dallas |
43 (+10) |
7.8 |
73% |
$124 |
|
Arlington |
74 (-6) |
12.6 |
60% |
$113 |
|
Fort Worth |
88 (-2) |
8.7 |
62% |
$86 |
|
Garland |
87 (+4) |
9.6 |
63% |
$106 |
|
Irving |
99 (-1) |
3.2 |
61% |
$83 |
|
National Median |
|
5.4 |
76% |
$108 |
