The Trust For Public Land ParkScore Project Ranks Fort Worth Better Than Los Angeles But Worse Than Dallas

The Trust for Public Land is a conservation group that claims to be America's leader in creating city parks and raising money for local conservation. The Trust for Public Land conserves land for everyone to enjoy as parks, gardens, and other natural places.

There is a section of the Trust for Public land website devoted to their ParkScore Project.

Part of the ParkScore Project ranks America's 40 Largest Cities and their Park Systems.

The ParkScore Project rates cities in three areas: park access, which measures the percentage of residents living within a 10-minute walk of a park; park size, including the city's median park size and the percentage of total city area dedicated to parks; and services and investment, which factors in playgrounds per 10,000 residents and park spending per capita.

None of the big towns in Texas ranked in the Top 10. Austin managed to be in the Top 20. Austin has some mighty fine parks. I would have guessed Austin would have ranked higher. But, Austin was tied with  Long Beach for the #20 spot.

Phoenix fared only slightly better than Austin. Having recently enjoying the fine parks of Phoenix, I am surprised Phoenix is not in the Top 10.

Dallas came in at #21. With the sister city of Dallas, Fort Worth at #24.

Fort Worth was ahead of Los Angeles, which was #25. The only park I remember being in in Los Angeles is Griffith Park. And the La Brea Tarpits. And Disneyland. But, Disneyland is not in Los Angeles.

All the towns in the Top 10 are on either the East or West Coast. Except for Sacramento, which is a bit inland. I think Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia may be a bit inland, as well.

Below are the ParkScore Ratings...

1. San Francisco
2. Sacramento, Calif.
3. (tie) Boston
3. (tie) New York
5. Washington, D.C.
6. Portland, Ore.
7. Virginia Beach, Va.
8. San Diego
9. Seattle
10. Philadelphia
11. Albuquerque
12. San Jose, Calif.
13. Denver
14. Chicago
15. Baltimore
16. (tie) Kansas City, Mo.
16. (tie) Milwaukee
16. (tie) Phoenix
19. (tie) Long Beach, Calif.
19. (tie) Austin
21. Dallas
22. Detroit
23. Las Vegas
24. Fort Worth
25. Los Angeles
26. Atlanta
27. (tie) El Paso
27. (tie) Columbus, Ohio
29. Nashville
30. Houston
31. (tie) Tucson, Ariz.
31. (tie) Memphis
33. Oklahoma City
34. Jacksonville, Fla.
35. San Antonio
36. (tie) Indianapolis
36. (tie) Mesa, Ariz.
38. Louisville, Ky.
39. Charlotte, N.C.
40. Fresno, Calif.