When you think about parks and green spaces, you’re more than likely picturing the rolling hills of the countryside or a quiet suburban neighborhood.
Seldom do we associate green spaces with cities, but more and more cities seem to be taking initiatives to include them in their landscapes to help improve physical and mental health. In fact, over 60% of the United States population live within cities, but virtually everyone benefits greatly from green spaces.
According to recent research from the World Health Organization (WHO), parks, woods, fields and gardens have a large impact on our wellness. They assist with relaxation, reducing stress, and exercise. Green spaces have also been proven to improve both our physical and mental health, making them vital to a person’s well-being.
They’re associated with better air quality, reduced traffic noise, cooler temperatures, and greater diversity. So where are the best places to enjoy green spaces, while also getting everything else a city has to offer?
K Van Bourgedian recently analyzed the 50 largest metropolitan areas in America to determine the cities with the best access to green spaces and public parks. Using data from the Trust for Public Land, they determined the percentage of city land being used for recreation, as well as the distance a city resident would have to walk to access a public park.
According to the nationwide plant provider: “The Trust for Public Land defines the parks included as publicly-owned local, state, and national parks, trails, open space, school parks with a joint-use agreement with the local government, and privately-owned parks that are managed for full public use.”
Through this research, we can see the cities who’ve taken initiatives toward positive change.
Topping the list of cities with the most access to green space is New Orleans. The Louisiana city has been increasing green spaces throughout the city for years, and 26% of the city land is currently being used for recreation.
Following New Orleans, the District of Columbia ranked second with 24% of city land being used for recreation. Both San Francisco and New York City took the number three spot, tying with 21% of city land being used for recreation.
But which cities are the best for public parks?
According to the research, if you love the outdoors and exploring parks your best bet is to move to San Francisco. The California city tops the list again, with 99.9% of residents living within a 10 minutes walk to a park—That’s virtually every resident in the city.
Ranking in second place, Boston has a strong 99.8% of residents within a 10 minute walk to a park. Although many northern cities tend to have less green space than southern ones, Boston is home to a plethora of easily accessible public parks.
Two more northern cities made it to the top of the list, as well. Both New York City and Providence had more than 98% of residents within a 10 minute walk to a park. The District of Columbia, Chicago, and Minneapolis all made the top ten list.
You can check out the full report here to see where your city matches up.
