In the United States, major metropolitan areas often lack an ample amount of green space, which can lead to a whole host of problems for public health and well-being. On top of the added health benefits of being near nature on a regular basis, green spaces in cities help alleviate the effects of air pollution and can reduce the “urban heat island” effect, which refers to heat trapped in metropolitan areas.
With projections for 2050 showing 89% of the United States population and 68% of the world population living in urban areas, it is more important than ever that we highlight the importance of bringing greenery into our cities. So, we wanted to take a look at the 50 largest U.S. cities with the best access to parks and green spaces, and we examined data from The Trust for Public Land to do just that. Check out our results below!
The U.S. Cities with the Most Green Space
First, we determined the cities with the best access to green space, based on the percentage of the city’s land used for recreation. From our list of the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the United States based on population, New Orleans, Louisiana came out on top! In New Orleans, 26% of the city’s land is used for parks and recreation, including 215 parks. Given that nationally, the median amount of land used for recreation is 15% of the land, New Orleans clearly makes green space and access to play a priority.
Other cities that made the top of the ranking included Washington D.C. (24%), San Francisco (21%), New York (21%), and Las Vegas (20%). If you’re looking for a combination of city living with easy and ample access to nature, one of the cities on this map might be your best option!
The U.S. Cities with the Best Access to Parks
Next, our team looked at the percentage of residents in the 50 largest American cities that live within 10-minute walking distance of a park. The Trust for Public Land defines the parks included as publicly-owned local, state, and national parks, trails, open space, school parks with a joint-use agreement with the local government, and privately-owned parks that are managed for full public use. The 10-minute walkable service area gives us a good idea of just how accessible green spaces in these cities really are!
As you can see, in major cities like San Francisco, Boston, and New York, as well as smaller cities such as Providence, Pittsburgh, and Hartford, over 90% of residents enjoy a less than 10-minute walk to their nearest local park. Of course, the population density of these cities needs to be taken into account as well, which is why The Trust for Public Land analyzes park need as well.
Full Dataset
While we’ve shared the top cities for access to green space, all 50 cities we analyzed were not included in our visualizations. Wondering where your city stands on the list? Take a look at the full dataset included in the interactive table below. Sort the columns by clicking on their headers, or search for your city’s name in the search bar.
We hope that highlighting such data will encourage city planners to keep green space at the forefront of their minds. Public parks and gardens are often popular sources of civic pride, giving citizens and visitors alike access to beautiful green spaces to enjoy, and at K. van Bourgondien, we know just how much hard work goes into park maintenance. If you’re in charge of maintaining treasured local green spaces, check out K. van Bourgondien’s spring landscaping specials and fall landscaping specials for the best deals!