The City of Albuquerque's park system now ranks 15th in the nation, according to the 2024 ParkScore Index. Albuquerque advanced eight spots from its 2023 ranking and has climbed 22 positions over the past four years among America's 100 largest cities. The ParkScore Index, issued annually by the Trust for Public Land (TPL), evaluates parks based on 14 measures across five categories: Acreage, Access, Investment, Amenities, and Equity.
“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.”
Albuquerque scored 65.8 out of a possible 100 points on the ParkScore Index this year, up from 61.1 points in 2023. The city received high marks particularly in Access, Equity, and Acreage categories.
With 90% of Albuquerque’s population living within a walkable half-mile of a park—compared to the national average of 56%—the city continues to excel in the Access category with a score of 87 out of 100 points.
The city also showed improvement in its Equity score, increasing from 61 to 64 points out of 100 compared to last year. This score reflects the fairness in park distribution among neighborhoods by race and income. Additionally, significant progress was noted in the Investments category, where Albuquerque's score rose from 41 points in 2023 to 59 points this year. The Parks & Recreation Department (PRD) has completed numerous park projects and continues work on 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 or Albuquerque ParkScore data, please visit their respective links.