How metro Phoenix parks compare to the nation's best
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Phoenix's South Mountain preserve is one of the nation's largest municipal parks. Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Park access and amenities fall below the national average in Phoenix and its suburbs, according to the newly released ParkScore report from the Trust for Public Land (TPL).
Why it matters: Residents of cities with high ParkScore rankings are more socially connected and engaged with their neighbors and more likely to form friendships with people in different socioeconomic groups, according to TPL.
State of play: Phoenix's parks ranked 85th among the 100 largest cities, the same position it held last year and just slightly better than suburbs Glendale (90th) and Mesa (96th).
- Scottsdale was the highest ranked of any large Arizona city, coming in at 57th.
How it works: The score accounts for the percentage of residents living within a 10-minute walk to a park, access in communities of color, acreage, amenities and the city's financial investment in parks.
The intrigue: Phoenix scored high for acreage — its South Mountain and North Mountain preserves rank among the largest municipal parks in the U.S. — but fell short in every other category.
By the numbers: Less than half of Phoenix residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park, per the rankings, compared with 74% of Americans overall who live that close to green space.
- Phoenix park spending equated to about $91 per resident, compared with the national average of $124.
Zoom in: Phoenix opened its 187th park, Harvest Park in the fast-growing Laveen area, in March.
- Among its amenities are pickleball courts, a basketball court, playground and amphitheater.