Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
More Than Just Green Spaces
In a time of deep political and social divide, Americans appear to agree on one thing: the value of urban parks. A survey done by the Trust for Public Land—a nonprofit dedicated to creating parks and protecting public land—reveals that outdoor public spaces are among the most widely supported civic assets in the country.
The poll, which surveyed 4,000 U.S. adults—including 2,000 from the 100 most populous cities—shows the essential role parks play in fostering social connections and collective well-being.
An overwhelming 89 percent of big-city residents reported visiting a park in the past year, including 92 percent of those who voted for Donald Trump and 90 percent of those who voted for Kamala Harris in the last election.
“Parks are some of the few spaces where people from all walks of life still come together,” said Will Klein, Director of Research at the Trust for Public Land, speaking at a panel hosted by America Community Media (AcoM.) on May 23.
The ParkScore® index
At the event, Klein also revealed this year’s ParkScore® index. Widely regarded as the gold standard for evaluating urban parks, it ranks the 100 biggest U.S. cities based on the quality of their parks.
Washington, D.C., topped the charts for the fifth year in a row. Close behind were Irvine (California), Minneapolis (Minnesota), and Cincinnati (Ohio). Denver made its debut in the top 10, signaling a growing momentum toward urban greening.
Parks are a social glue, said Klein. They have become platforms for communities to heal and interact with people from different cultures.
“Two-thirds of U.S. residents met someone new in a park last year, and half of those interactions crossed socioeconomic lines,” he said. The survey found that 65 percent of respondents had a positive conversation in a park with someone they didn’t previously know.
Parks also foster civic engagement. Cities with strong parks tend to have more volunteers, civic groups, and local leaders stepping up to serve their communities.
A Tale of Two Cities
Justin Cutler, Commissioner of Parks and Recreation for Atlanta, explained that his city’s dramatic rise in the rankings—from 51st in 2016 to 21st in 2025—was driven by bold policy moves. He attributed it to the Atlanta Schoolyards Project, which opened school playgrounds and fields to the public after hours, boosting walkable park access from 79 percent to over 82 percent.
The city also invested in green infrastructure, such as Cook Park, which is a 16-acre linear green infrastructure built on land that was destroyed by flooding in 2002. Today, it doubles as a flood barrier as well as a park that features wetlands, native plants and a pond.
In stark contrast, Los Angeles has plummeted to the 90th place, down from 49th just five years ago. The city’s last comprehensive parks master plan dates back to 1973 and investment has stagnated even as other cities ramp up funding.
Guillermo Rodriguez with the Trust for Public Land noted, “There are about 1.5 million Angelinos who do not have a close-to-home park.”
Yet, hope is not lost. A new Park Needs Assessment is underway, and folks like Guillermo Rodriguez and Yvette Lopez-Ledesma, Greening America’s Cities Fellow at Community Partners, are pushing for change. “A park is not just a park,” said Lopez-Ledesma, “It’s a lifeline,” particularly in communities with fewer resources.
As we grapple with climate change, social isolation, and economic turmoil, urban parks may be one of the most powerful—and overlooked—tools for building a more connected future.
Photo by Willian Justen de Vasconcellos: https://www.pexels.com/photo/architectural-columns-at-little-island-park-nyc-32409116/