Austin and its stellar park system were just ranked the fifth-best in Texas, according to the newly released ParkScore Index.

Every year, land conservation nonprofit Trust for Public Land rates the park systems in the 100 largest American cities with regard to their accessibility, equity, acreage, investment, and amenities.

On a national level, the best park systems are located in Washington, D.C. (No. 1); Irvine, California (No. 2); Minneapolis (No. 3) and St. Paul (No. 4), Minnesota; and Cinncinati, Ohio (No. 5).

Austin's No. 47 ParkScore ranking in 2026 is a solid improvement over last year's No. 54 rank.

The organization attributes much of the city's progress to numerous recent new parks in South Austin and downtown, which have dramatically increased the percentage of residents that live within close proximity of a park — a crucial metric in the report's methodology. Currently, 76 percent of Austinites live within a 10-minute walk of a park, compared to 68 percent last year.

"Ten years ago, only 48 percent of Austin residents lived within a 10-minute walk of a park," a release said. "The city’s dedication to opening new parks in park-deficient neighborhoods is paying off."

Austin also spends far more to maintain its park system — a three-year average of about $236 per resident — than the national average $154 per resident. The Austin City Council is currently considering a $260 million bond investment that would benefit the local park system and Austin's Parks and Recreation Department.

Elsewhere in Texas, Plano and Frisco in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex boast the best park systems in the state.

Molly Morgan, the Texas State Director and Associate Vice President of Trust for Public Land, said in the release that Texas' high-scoring performance in the annual index has proved that it is making park accessibility a statewide priority.

"Cities across the Lone Star State are making serious investments, opening new parks, partnering with school districts, and closing gaps that have existed for decades," Morgan said. "They’re showing what’s possible when Texas gets serious about parks."

Morgan added that there's still more work to be done to increase park accessibility to the 9 million Texans that don't have a park within a 10-minute walk of their homes.

Here's how the rest of Texas stacks up in the national ranking:

• No. 13 – Plano
• No. 30 – Frisco
• No. 38 – Dallas
• No. 45 – Arlington
• No. 58 – Fort Worth
• No. 61 – San Antonio and El Paso (tied)
• No. 64 – Garland
• No. 69 – Houston
• No. 71 – Irving
• No. 72 – Corpus Christi
• No. 77 – Laredo
• No. 96 – Lubbock