2025 ParkScore: San Antonio slips in national ranking
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San Antonio's standing in the ParkScore rankings has slipped this year, falling to 57th place — down four spots from last year.
Why it matters: City parks serve as community meeting spots and civic spaces, offer room for exercise and fresh air, and can draw in new residents — but they require investment, attention and protection.
The big picture: The 2025 ParkScore index, an annual report from the Trust for Public Land (TPL), ranks the 100 most populous U.S. cities' park systems relative to one another based on five categories: acreage, access, amenities, investment and equity.
What they found: San Antonio earned a total ParkScore of 51, below the national median of 53.6.
- The city ranks near the bottom in access — 47% of San Antonio residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park — with a score of 26.
- For comparison, top-ranked Washington, D.C., scored 99 in this category.
- San Antonio did improve from 2024 in terms of equity and amenities, jumping 4 and 5 points, respectively.
Stunning stats: Among the cities analyzed, $12.2 billion was invested in park and recreation systems in 2024, and 76% of residents now live within a 10-minute walk of a park.
- Those are both records since TPL started tracking such figures in 2007 and 2012, respectively.