Milwaukee has 14th best parks system in the country, report says

Milwaukee ranked 14th and Madison took 21st

Milwaukee has the 14^th best parks in the country and Madison was ranked 21st, according to a new ranking from the Public Land Trust.  

The report ranked 100 U.S. cities on a variety of factors, like what amenities are avaliable, how much is invested in the park and how accessible they are. Milwaukee beat out other major cities like New York and Philadelphia.  

What did the report say about Milwaukee?  

Milwaukee scored high marks for accessibility – 96% of residents are within a 10 minute walk of a park. In total, 9.7% of Milwaukee’s area is parks. Milwaukee also spends an average of $206 on parks per resident, that’s above the national average of $154.  

The city also has an above average number of playgrounds, basketball courts, senior centers, bathrooms, splashpads and baseball fields.  

More: 40 free Shakespeare performances in Milwaukee, state parks in 2026

What did the report say about Madison?  

A larger percentage of Madison is parks – 13.3%. The report said Madison had more park amenities than Milwaukee. It has an above average number of baseball fields, splash pads, bathrooms, basketball courts and dog parks.  

The city does spend less per resident on parks though, just $135 which is below the national average and 97% of people are within 10 minutes of a park.  

What are the top 25 parks systems in the country? 

1. Washington, DC 
2. Irvine, CA 
3. Minneapolis, MN 
4. St. Paul, MN 
5. Cincinnati, OH 
6. San Francisco, CA 
7. Arlington, VA 
8. Seattle, WA 
9. Portland, OR 
10. Chicago, IL 
11. Denver, CO 
12. Boston, MA 
13. Plano, TX 
14. Milwaukee, WI 
15. Boise, ID 
16. Pittsburgh, PA 
17. San Diego, CA 
18. Atlanta, GA 
19. St. Petersburg, FL 
20. New York, NY 
21. Madison, WI 
22. Buffalo, NY 
23. Albuquerque, NM 
24. Richmond, VA 
25. Lincoln, NE