How Phoenix-area parks stack up nationally
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Encanto Park in Phoenix. Photo: Jeremy Duda/Axios
Phoenix ranks 85th among the 100 largest U.S. cities for its public parks, according to a recent report by the Trust for Public Land (TPL), a pro-parks nonprofit.
Why it matters: Parks confer a wealth of benefits — including, as TPL points out, being key to our peace of mind, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj report.
- Residents of the top 25 cities are less likely to report poor mental health or low physical activity, according to TPL.
Zoom in: Unfortunately for Arizonans, no cities made the top 25, or even the top 50. And Phoenix's tie for No. 85 with Charlotte-Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, ranks below four other Arizona cities.
- Phoenix got dinged for accessibility, investment, amenities and equity.
- Only 49% of Phoenix residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park. The national average is 55%, and the median for the 100 cities in the report is 74%.
- Low-income and non-white communities had access to less park acreage than white Phoenicians, though they largely lived in closer proximity to parks than white residents.
Yes, but: The only one of the five metrics in which Phoenix scored highly was acreage.
By the numbers: When it comes to the six amenities graded by TPL, Phoenix's highest score was on bathrooms, which got just 30 points out of 100, with 1 per 10,000 people.
🏀 Basketball hoops: 27/100, with 2.8 per 10,000 people
🌊 Splash pads: 22/100, .7 per 100,000 people
🐕 Dog parks: 20/100, .7 per 100,000 people
🏓 Rec and senior centers: 14/100, .4 per 20,000 people
🛝 Playgrounds: 1/100, 1 per 10,000 people
What they're saying: "Our department welcomes all community feedback, and we work every day to bring accessible and affordable parks and recreation services to Phoenicians," Adam Waltz, a spokesperson for the city's parks department, told us.
Between the lines: Phoenix was one of seven Arizona cities on the list.
Scottsdale: The highest-ranking city in the state was Scottsdale, which tied for No. 61 with Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
- The city scored 100/100 points for acreage and 61 points for investment, though it got a dismal 8/100 for access, with just 40% of residents living within 10 minutes of a park.
Chandler: The city ranked 73rd, with 62% of residents living within 10 minutes of a park.
Tucson: No. 76, with 64% living within 10 minutes of a park.
Glendale: Tied with Jacksonville, Florida, for No. 85. Glendale stood out for access, with 74% living in proximity to a park.
Mesa: No. 96, with 65% of residents living within 10 minutes of a park.
Gilbert: Only 45% of residents lived near a park in Gilbert, which rounded out the list at No. 100.