Milwaukee and Madison ranked among the best cities in U.S. for parks and trails, a new report says
Millions of people visited parks and trails across Wisconsin last year, and while some of the most popular parks are out state, Milwaukee and Madison are also home to hundreds of local parks — and two of the top park systems in the nation, according to a new survey.
National non-profit Trust for Public Land assists communities in creating parks and protecting public land. TPL recently published its 2025 ParkScore rankings, which rank the 100 most populous U.S. cities by comparing equity, access, investment and amenities in public parks.
Milwaukee and Madison landed on the list of U.S. cities with the best parks in the country. Here's a look at where they ranked on the list plus a breakdown of the report.
According to the report, Milwaukee ranked 18 among the best cities for parks in the U.S. 95% of Milwaukee residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park. The national average of all U.S. urban cities and towns is 57%.
Across the city, Milwaukee has 269 parks.
However, Milwaukee residents in neighborhoods with the highest concentration of people of color have access to 30% less park space per person than the city's average, and 55% less than those in predominately White neighborhoods, according to the report.
Milwaukee residents in low-income neighborhoods also have 33% less access to park space compared to people in the average Milwaukee neighborhood, and 55% less than people in high-income neighborhoods.
According to the report, 9% of Milwaukee's land is used for parks and recreation, compared to the national median which is 15%. The city's total investment in parks is $188 per capita. You can find your nearest park or trail in Milwaukee here.
Just slightly behind Milwaukee, Madison's ranked 19 among the U.S. best cities for parks, according to TPL. Ninety-eight percent of Madison residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park. Madison has 305 parks.
In Madison, 11% of the city's land is used for parks and recreation. The city's total spending on parks and trails is $115 per capita.
According to the report, Madison residents in neighborhoods with the highest concentration of people of color have access to 12% more park space per person than the city's average and 21% less than those in White neighborhoods.
In Madison, low-income neighborhoods have access to 55% less park space per person than people in the average Madison neighborhood and 70% less than those in high-income neighborhoods, according to the report.
Washington D.C. is the best city for parks in the U.S., according to the report. Across the city, 99% of residents live near a park. That's because 21.5% of city land is used for parks, with 699 parks and greenspaces. The city spends $393 per capita on parks, according to the report.
Top 10 cities on the 2025 ParkScore report:
Washington, D.C.
Irvine, California
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Cincinnati, Ohio
St. Paul, Minnesota
San Francisco, California
Arlington, Virginia
Seattle, Washington
Portland, Oregon
Denver, Colorado
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee, Madison among best cities in US for parks, report says
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