PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A national nonprofit organization that evaluates parks is out with its annual report, showing Philadelphia’s park system has improved.
The Trust for Public Land’s 2025 ParkScore index ranks Philadelphia 28th among the 100 most populous U.S. cities, up from 32nd in 2024. It’s a notable move by ParkScore standards, according to Owen Franklin, the group's Pennsylvania director based in Philadelphia.
“What an increase in ParkScore shows is how cities are responding to the priority of these systems, and every city has a growth opportunity for park score,” he said.
The nonprofit ranks park systems every year based on five categories: acreage, investment, equity access, and amenities. The report also showed that 95% of Philadelphia residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park.
Philadelphia’s move up the ranks was largely driven by improvements in park amenities, according to the report. Amenities are a new category this year.
However, Franklin said the city still lags in investment, particularly in park maintenance. Of the 25 largest cities in the U.S., only Oklahoma City spends less per capita on maintenance than Philadelphia.
Washington, D.C., topped the 2025 ParkScore index, followed by Irvine, California, and Minneapolis, Minnesota.