Albuquerque Parks Rank Among Best in the Nation

High Scores for Access, Equity, and Acreage in 2024 ParkScore Index.

May 22, 2024

The City’s park system now ranks 15th in the nation according to the 2024 ParkScore Index. Albuquerque jumped eight spots from 2023 to 2024, and over the last four years, the City has climbed 22 positions in a national ranking of parks in America’s 100 largest cities. The ParkScore Index is issued annually by the Trust for Public Land (TPL), evaluating 14 measures across five different categories: Acreage, Access, Investment, Amenities, and Equity. Here’s how Albuquerque’s ranking has changed over the past few years:

• 23rd in 2023
• 34th in 2022
• 37th in 2021

“Like most local families, spending quality time in any of Albuquerque’s great parks is one of my own family’s favorite pastimes,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “No matter which part of town you live in, these bright spots in our community provide safe, green spaces to enjoy sports, exercise for your pets, and healthy activities.” 

The remarkable ascent of Albuquerque's park system, now ranking 15th nationally according to the 2024 ParkScore Index, reflects our city's steadfast commitment to enhancing green spaces for all residents. Jumping eight spots in just a year and climbing 22 positions over four years underscores our dedication to providing accessible, equitable, and enriching outdoor experiences for our community, as recognized by the Trust for Public Land's rigorous evaluation. 

Albuquerque scored 65.8 out of 100 possible total points on the ParkScore Index (up from 61.1 points in 2023) to crack the top 20 for the first time. The City scored highest in the Access, Equity, and Acreage categories. 

With 90% of the City’s population living with a walkable half-mile of a park (the national average is 56%), Albuquerque continues to score among the highest in nation in the Access category (87 out of 100 points).

Albuquerque also received strong marks for Equity and showed improvement in this category over 2023 (improving from 61 to 64 points out of 100). The equity score indicates the fairness in the distribution of parks and park space among neighborhoods by race and income. The City saw the most improvement in the Investments category, jumping up 18 points from 41 points out of 100 in 2023 to 59 points in 2024. PRD has completed and continues to work on dozens of park projects, including several major projects in underserved neighborhoods, such as the complete renovation at Phil Chacon Park. 

“It’s nice to get our highest ranking ever, but we still have more work to do,” said Parks & Recreation Department Director Dave Simon. “Our goal is continuous improvement and with continued investment, the future is bright for parks in the Duke City.” 

To access the complete ParkScore Index report, click here.

To access the Albuquerque ParkScore data, click here.