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

Houston is ranked No. 66 out of 100 United States cities on Trust for Public Land’s annual ParkScore index, according to a May 21 news release.

The details

The ParkScore index ranks park systems in the 100 most populous U.S. cities, and evaluates park systems based on five different criteria:

• Park access: Measures the percentage of residents living within a 10-minute walk of a park
• Park equity: Compares per capita park space and 10-minute-walk park access in communities of color vs. white communities and low-income vs. high-income neighborhoods
• Park acreage: Based on a city’s median park size and the percentage of city area dedicated to parks
• Park investment: Measures park spending per resident
• Park amenities: Assesses the availability of seven popular park features, including basketball hoops, off-leash dog parks, playgrounds, splashpads and other water-play structures, sports fields, recreation and senior centers, as well as restrooms

Houston, which was ranked 68th last year, rose two spots this year largely due to increased park investment, according to the news release. Houston has invested $127 per person on parks this year, up from last year’s $110. However, the city is still slightly under the national ParkScore average of $133.

A closer look

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

Keep in mind

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.