DALLAS — With a median park size of more than double the national average, Plano has the best parks in the state, according to a new study.
The annual report on the nation's park systems from The Trust for Public Land included 13 Texas cities, with Plano leading the state coming in at No. 15 nationally. Austin was the next highest city in Texas ranked taking the 45th spot. Five other North Texas cities fell in the top 100. To see the other Texas cities included, click here.
The study gave a score to the parks in the nation's 100 most populated cities then ranked them. Five factors were considered in scoring: park quality, park access, park acreage, park investment and park amenities.
The report found that the nation’s capital took the No. 1 spot followed by the Twin Cities in Minnesota.
Plano's median park size is nearly 14 acres, while the national average is only 5.4 acres. In terms of park spending, the city invested $223 per resident which is more than double that of the national average of $96.
Nationally, three out of four U.S. residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park. However, only 63 percent of people in the region’s poorest ranking cities, Garland and Irving, lived within a 10-minute walk to a park.