San Francisco among top 10 U.S. cities with best parks
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San Francisco's park system is the sixth-best in the nation after jumping one spot in the 2025 rankings from the Trust for Public Land.
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.
Driving the news: Among the parks rating for other Bay Area cities, Fremont (No. 38) and San José (No. 41) dropped in rankings, while Oakland moved up eight places from last year to No. 44.
- San Francisco remains the only West Coast city where all residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park.
- The city ranks second in the U.S. for park investment, spending $561 per resident on parks. The national average is $133.
- The opening of the Indian Basin Waterfront Park improved the city's scores in several categories, especially park acreage and equity.
Yes, but: SF's ranking continues to be limited by its small median park size of 1.3 acres, below the national average of 5.4 acres.
By the numbers: San Francisco boasts 220 neighborhood parks and more than 4,000 acres of recreational and open space.
- Park access, acreage, amenities, equity and investment all contributed to a city's score.
Zoom out: Washington, D.C. took home top honors thanks in part to big access and investment scores.