San Diego parks rank 26th out of the country's 100 biggest metros but lag in equity
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
San Diego has the 26th best park system among the country's 100 biggest cities, according to a new report by the nonprofit Trust for Public Land (TPL).
Why it matters: The city's overall park system scored above the median big city but ranked poorly on equity — low-income neighborhoods and neighborhoods of color have less park space than richer, whiter neighborhoods.
How it works: Each year, TPL measures city park systems by access, acreage, amenities, equity and investment.
- Their scores in each of those areas feed into a "ParkScore," out of 100 points.
What they found: 81% of San Diegans live within a 10-minute walk of a park, good to land it among the top half of large U.S. cities.
- The city spends about $173 per person per year on parks, above the national median of $124.
- San Diego performs best in overall park space as its 41,620 acres of parkland represent 20% of the entire city, enough for a perfect score.
Friction point: San Diegans living in neighborhoods with mostly residents of color have 73% less park space as those in white neighborhoods.
- Residents of low-income neighborhoods have 86% less park space as those in high-income neighborhoods.
Yes, but: Scores were about even across the board for how far people lived from their closest park.
The intrigue: San Diego's park system is generally sliding compared with other big cities.
- The city had the ninth-ranked park system in the country from 2013 through 2015, then fell to the late teens from 2018 through 2020.
- It bottomed out at 29 in 2022.
What we're watching: In March, the city greenlit about $16 million for 19 park projects, as KPBS reported.
- That included money from a 2021 revamp of how San Diego allocates park fees developers pay when they build new housing.
- Those fees used to be siloed in the areas where the projects were built, but the city now pools them into a single fund, where they can be dispersed based on need.
What's next: San Diego planners are creating a "park needs index" to determine where park investments will have the greatest impact, and could complete it later this year.
Zoom out: Chula Vista had the 80th ranked park system of the 100 largest cities.
- 72% of Chula Vista residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park.