Cleveland inches up annual parks rankings
Why it matters: City parks serve as community meeting spots and civic spaces, offer room for exercise and fresh air, and can draw in new residents.
Driving the news: The ranking is from the 2025 ParkScore index, an annual list from the Trust for Public Land (TPL), a pro-park nonprofit.
The report ranks the 100 most populous U.S. cities' park systems based on five categories: acreage, access, amenities, investment and equity.
By the numbers: Cleveland moves up one ranking spot from last year and remains in the top third, but has fallen from its highest ranking (23rd, in 2022).
Zoom in: Just like last year, Cleveland earned high marks for access — 88% of city residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park — and for amenities like basketball courts, splash pads and recreation centers.
Yes, but: Cleveland still falls well below the national average in park acreage, both in median park size and park land as a percent of total city area.
🚾 Stat du jour: Cleveland also scored poorly in public bathrooms, with only 0.8 per 10,000 residents.
Earlier this month, the Cleveland Planning Commission formally adopted the city's Parks and Recreation Master Plan, drafted with community input to steer policies and funding for decades to come.
Zoom out: Washington, D.C., once again took top honors in the ParkScore rankings with a total of 85.5 points, thanks in part to big access and investment scores.
Irvine, California, came in second, while Minneapolis ranked third.
Stunning stats: Among the cities analyzed, $12.2 billion was invested in park and recreation systems in 2024, while 76% of residents now live within a 10-minute walk of a park.
Those are both records since TPL started tracking such figures in 2007 and 2012, respectively.
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Hamilton Spectator
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Axios
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- Axios
Park upkeep fees floated by Austin City Council
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