Madison scored among the nation’s top cities for parks yet again - moving up to 9th place in the latest ranking by the Trust for Public Land! The Trust for Public Land (TPL) announced the 2017 edition of ParkScore, a measurement and comparison of the 100 largest US cities.

The TPL is a national, non-profit which advocates for parks in neighborhoods and has been ranking park systems of the largest cities since 2012. In 2016 the ranking extended to the 100 largest cities in the United States, which included Madison for the first time in a tie for 10th nationally.

“This is great news, but not a surprise,” said Madison Mayor Paul Soglin. “As a City we invest in our park system and work with volunteers and neighborhoods to maintain parks that are walkable and include quality facilities to meet the needs of our community.”

The score is based on four primary factors – acreage, facilities, investment and access. Each city’s total points, out of a maximum 120, are then normalized to a ParkScore of up to 100. Madison received a total of 73.5 points out of 100 in 2017. Madison scored highest for its number of basketball hoops, dog parks, and playgrounds. Access to parks was awarded 35 of 40 points, with 90% of Madison’s population within a 10-minute walk of a park.

“Madison’s ranking is something our community should be proud of, as it is their commitment to quality public parks that has provided for the development of a park system that is the envy of many,” said Eric Knepp, Madison Parks Superintendent.