St. Paul Has Better Parks Than Minneapolis: 2022 Report

ST. PAUL, MN — The city of St. Paul can boast the second-best park system in the nation, according to the 2022 Trust for Public Land's annual ParkScore Index.

Meanwhile, Minneapolis — which ranked No. 1 in 2020 and No. 3 in 2021 — fell to No. 5 this year.

Minneapolis’ dip in the rankings was caused by positive steps taken by fourth-place Cincinnati and third-place Arlington, according to the rankings.

ParkScore said its top five cities scored "extremely closely," so small changes in any park system will shift the order.

Here's what the rankings were based on, according to ParkScore:

• Park equity compares per capita park space and 10-minute walk park access in communities of color vs. white communities and in low-income neighborhoods vs. high income neighborhoods. Park systems score higher if disparities are low or non-existent.
• Park access measures the percentage of residents living within a 10-minute walk of a park.
• Park acreage is based on a city’s median park size and the percentage of city area dedicated to parks.
• Park investment measures park spending per resident.
• Park amenities assesses the availability of six popular park features: basketball hoops, off-leash dog parks, playgrounds, “splash pads,” recreation and senior centers, and restrooms.

Below are the 2022 park rankings and their score, which is out of a total of 100 points:

1. Washington, DC — 84.9
2. Saint Paul, MN — 79.7
3. Arlington, VA — 79.1
4. Cincinnati, OH — 78.9
5. Minneapolis, MN — 78.6
6. Chicago, IL — 76.8
7. San Francisco, CA — 76.7
8. Irvine, CA — 76.6
9. Seattle, WA — 76.2
10. New York, NY — 75.5