Here's Where St. Petersburg, Tampa Park Systems Rank Nationally: Report

TAMPA BAY, FL — St. Petersburg placed 19th on the 2026 ParkScore Index, down five spots from last year, while Tampa ranked 46th after placing 43rd a year ago, according to Trust for Public Land.

The nonprofit announced the annual rankings as Washington, DC, kept the top spot among park systems in the 100 most populous U.S. cities.

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Find the full ParkScore Index here.

The lower rankings for St. Petersburg and Tampa were driven by gains in other cities, not changes in either local park system, according to Trust for Public Land.

The organization said the region could improve in the future because the Booker Creek Rail Trail acquisition in St. Petersburg is expected to close this summer. Booker Creek is part of the Florida Gulf Coast Trail project, which aims to create a 420-mile trail spanning seven coastal counties.

About 78 percent of St. Petersburg residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park, compared with the national ParkScore average of 76 percent, the organization said. Meanwhile, Tampa provides that level of access to 64 percent of residents.

St. Petersburg also spent $222 per person on its park system, above the national average of $154, while Tampa spent $145 per person.

Trust for Public Land said both cities outperformed on park amenities and park equity, but smaller median park size held back their rankings.

St. Petersburg's median park size is 3.5 acres and Tampa's is 4.2 acres, both below the national ParkScore average of 5.4 acres.

The ParkScore index evaluates five factors equally: access, equity, acreage, investment and amenities. Trust for Public Land said the ranking uses Geographic Information Systems and spatial analysis to measure access by park entrances and barriers such as highways, rather than simple distance alone.

Municipal leaders use the data to guide park improvements and identify where new parks are needed, the organization said.

Alongside the rankings, Trust for Public Land released an economic analysis titled “The Undeniable ROI of Parks,” which found that city parks deliver $3 in benefits for every $1 invested.

The report said parks support physical activity, improve physical and mental health, reduce health care costs, and serve as green infrastructure that can reduce flood control and public works expenses.