Houston jumps 2 spots in national park rankings due to increased investment

Houston’s ranking was also boosted for its park acreage, as the city reserves 12.2% of its city area for parks, above the national average of 9.3%.

However, the city ranked below average for park access, as only 63% of residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park, compared to the national average of 76%, according to the news release.

Despite Houston’s jump, the city still lags behind most other Texas cities:

• 17. Plano
• 34. Dallas
• 37. Frisco
• 46. Arlington
• 54. Austin
• 57. San Antonio
• 65. El Paso

The ranking comes as the Houston’s Parks and Recreation Department is expected to see more than $4 million in cuts under the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget. The department’s director Kenneth Allen told City Council during a May 16 budget workshop that these cuts will lead to fewer park renovations, longer mowing cycles and reductions in security and patrols in parks.

Houston Parks Board’s president and CEO Beth White also announced May 21 that she will retire Jan. 1 next year. She first joined the organization in 2016 and led the board through initiatives such as the Bayou Greenways, revitalizing more than 30 neighborhood parks, and ongoing regional park projects such as MacGregor Park and Hill at Sims.