ParkScore® 2026 Rankings: Trust for Public Land Names Washington, DC, Best Big City Park System. Irvine Takes 2nd followed by Minneapolis and Saint Paul; Chicago Returns to ParkScore Top 10 as Texas Cities Make Big Gains Accompanying Research Report Concludes Parks Are a Winning Investment: Economic Analysis Shows City Parks Deliver $3 in Economic Benefits For Every Dollar Invested. Trust for Public Land announced today that Washington, DC, was rated the nation’s best big-city park system by the 2026 ParkScore® index. Washington has now held the top spot for six consecutive years. The District narrowly outscored Irvine, California (2nd), Minneapolis (3rd) and St. Paul (4th) to retain the ParkScore title. The annual ParkScore® index ranks park systems in the 100 most populous U.S. cities and is widely considered the gold standard for park evaluation. Chicago returned to the Top 10 this year, pulling narrowly ahead of Denver on increased investment and several creative park projects, such as converting a vacant lot into a community plaza and roller rink. Texas also made big gains this year, with several Lone Star cities leaping up the ratings list, including Irving (+28 spots to 71st), Fort Worth (+14 spots to 58th) and Austin (+7 to 47th). Texas gains were driven by new park openings, major new investments, and “open schoolyards” agreements that open playgrounds and school athletic fields for community use after hours and on weekends. Accompanying the annual ratings list, Trust for Public Land released a new economic analysis, The Undeniable ROI of Parks, which found that city parks deliver $3 in benefits for every $1 invested. These benefits reach residents in many ways. For example, parks facilitate physical activity, which improves physical and mental health while reducing health care costs. Parks also serve as “green infrastructure,” which saves cities money on flood control and other public works. Finally, park facilities and activities offer direct savings to consumers, who might otherwise pay out-of-pocket for similar services…”