Dallas Parks Inch Up in National Ranking

A national nonprofit and advocacy group for the outdoors ranked Dallas 34th out of 100 for its parks, a higher ranking than the city received just a year ago.

Trust for Public Land looked at the nation’s 100 most populous cities to devise its ranking, which was based on park access, equity, acreage, investment, and amenities.

Dallas came out on top of a number of D-FW contenders, besting Garland (67), Fort Worth (72), and Irving (99).

At a press conference on Wednesday, Mayor Eric Johnson celebrated the city’s fifth consecutive year rising in the ranking. In 2024, Dallas came in at 38. In 2020, it was ranked 54th.

“We’re being noticed as a national leader in urban park development,” Johnson said. “This is not an easy thing to do in a city of our size, and we’re not slowing down.”

Here’s What That Massive Proposed Dallas Parks Bond Means for You

Also at the press conference was Trust for Public Land Texas state director Molly Morgan, who credited city leadership and the Dallas Park and Recreation Department for working to boost the city’s park system.

“Today, 81% of Dallas residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park,” she said. “That’s significantly more than a decade ago. … This didn’t happen by chance either. It’s thanks to bold city leadership, strong public-private partnerships, and community-driven planning that this happened, and it takes intentionality and the leadership that we have in this room.”

Dallas voters approved a $345 million bond last year to finance park improvements and the expansion of green spaces, trails, playgrounds, recreation centers, and pedestrian bridges. It covers some 187 projects.