Detroit ranks above average in park access

While we have above-average access to parks, the city lacks recreation centers, according to the latest annual report from the nonprofit Trust for Public Land.

• In an overall ranking of 100 U.S. cities' parks, Detroit comes in at 57, ahead of cities like San Antonio (59), Tampa (60) and Los Angeles (78).

• The three highest-ranked are Washington, D.C.; St. Paul, Minnesota; and Arlington, Virginia.

Why it matters: Being outdoors increases quality of life and improves health outcomes.

By the numbers: Detroit got pretty good marks on access: 83% of residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park, compared with the median of 75% for the 100 most-populous cities.

• We have 5.6 basketball hoops and 4.6 playgrounds per 10,000 residents — compared with 6.9 hoops and two playgrounds in top-ranked Washington, D.C.
• There's few recreation and senior centers here: just 0.5 per 20,000 residents.
• Detroit’s parks get $27 of private investment per person, compared with the national average of $5.

Go deeper: A map from the Trust for Public Land shows where the city could use more park space.