The Trust for Public Land has ranked Richmond 39th in the country in ParkScore — a number calculated based on equity, access, investment, amenities, and acreage of parks in the 100 most populous cities in the US.

The Capital Region Land Conservancy (CRLC), a Richmond-based conservation land trust, shared some insight into the report. Last year, Richmond was 45th on the list. Five years ago, we were 58th — our score has risen from 44.9 to 55.7 in that span.

The score is calculated based on a points-based system in five categories: acreage, access, equity, investment, and amenities. The River City got the most points (84) for equity and the least for acreage (36).

The numbers

Here are some calculations that went into our ParkScore ranking.

80% | The percentage of Richmond residents who live within a 10-minute walk of a park
4.7 | The median park size, in acres
7.4 | The amount of basketball hoops in Richmond parks per 10,000 people
175 | The amount of parks the Trust for Public Land has on record for Richmond — here's a map of all of them.

Bryan Park has flowery fields, disc golf, a farmers market + more. | Photo by RICtoday

Park news

CRLC has been in the news lately for its work to expand public parks and create new ones. The 350-acre Varina LandLab opened this month. The group also worked with the city to purchase Mayo Island, which is set to become public green space. Additionally, there are 13 acres on Warwick Road and 42 acres along the Appomattox River set for future parks.

Bonus: Our parks guide and hiking guide can help you find an urban oasis or hit the trails.