Houston's stellar parks have been ranked the 10th best park system in Texas, according to the newly released ParkScore Index.

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

The best park systems in the country are located in Washington, D.C. (No. 1); Irvine, California (No. 2); Minneapolis (No. 3) and St. Paul (No. 4), Minnesota; and Cincinnati, Ohio (No. 5).

Houston's No. 69 ParkScore ranking in 2026 is slightly lower than its No. 66 ranking last year, but the Trust for Public Land says that's because of "upward moves from other cities," rather than negative changes to the local park system.

The organization praised Houston's commitment to reserving land for parks. About 12.2 percent of land within the city limits its dedicated to parks, well above the 9.3 percent national average.

However, many Houstonians lack adequate access to a park, which is a crucial factor in the report's methodology. Currently, 65 percent of all Houston residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park, compared to the national average of 76 percent. The city also invests less money to maintain its park system — about $137 per resident — than the national average of $154 per resident.

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 who 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. 47 – Austin
• No. 58 – Fort Worth
• No. 61 – El Paso and San Antonio (tied)
• No. 64 – Garland
• No. 71 – Irving
• No. 72 – Corpus Christi
• No. 77 – Laredo
• No. 96 – Lubbock