Overview

• The 2025 ParkScore index ranks Washington, D.C. as the top U.S. city park system, followed by Irvine, California, and Minneapolis.
• National park investment reached a record $12.2 billion in 2024, with 76% of U.S. residents now living within a 10-minute walk of a park.
• Philadelphia rose from 32nd to 28th place, attributed to per-capita park spending increasing from $86 to $112 and strong access and amenities scores.
• In Philadelphia, 95% of residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park, significantly above the national average of 76%.
• Federal infrastructure funding and local initiatives, such as the Rebuild program, have driven park improvements but raise questions about sustaining funding levels.