Tulsa parks rank 59th nationally, score high on amenities

Tulsa climbed to 59th place on the 2025 ParkScore Index, released by the Trust for Public Land, marking a one-spot improvement from last year’s 60th place finish.

The annual index evaluates the 100 largest U.S. cities on the quality and accessibility of their park systems. While Tulsa earned strong marks for park size and certain amenities, the city continues to struggle with park access and funding—factors that kept its overall score below the national average.

Tulsa’s strengths: big parks and splashpads

According to the Trust for Public Land, Tulsa’s highest-scoring categories were park amenities and median park size.

The average park in Tulsa spans 9.7 acres, nearly double the national median. Splashpads and sports fields were key drivers of the city’s improved amenities score, both earning a perfect 100 points.

Tulsa also scored high in equity metrics, with low-income and racially diverse neighborhoods having more nearby park space than wealthier and majority-white areas.

The city’s overall ParkScore score for 2025 was 50.1 out of 100.

Where Tulsa falls short: access and investment

Despite some progress, only 64% of Tulsa residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park—below the national ParkScore average of 76%.

The city scored just 51 out of 100 points for access. Parkland makes up only 7% of Tulsa’s total land area, earning the city 28 points in the acreage category.

Tulsa’s park investment remains modest, with about $74 spent per resident each year—well below national leaders.

“These numbers show there’s still work to do, especially when it comes to getting more residents easy access to parks,” a Trust for Public Land spokesperson said.

National context: D.C. leads, OKC lags

Washington, D.C., maintained its title as the nation’s top-ranked park system for the fifth year in a row, earning an 85.5 ParkScore. Other top finishers include Irvine, Minneapolis and Cincinnati.

In contrast, Oklahoma City ranked 95th, with an overall score of just 36.4.

OKC scored particularly low in access, with just 40% of residents living near a park. Despite higher per capita investment at $107, the city struggled with equity and amenities.

Survey finds parks bring people together

Alongside the rankings, Trust for Public Land released new survey data showing broad public support for local parks across political and demographic lines.

Eighty-nine percent of city residents said they visited a park at least once in the past year. Seventy-nine percent reported feeling comfortable in local parks and visiting regularly.

Two-thirds of respondents said they had conversations with strangers in public parks.

“Parks bring people together and deliver enormous physical and mental health benefits for visitors,” said Dr. Carrie Besnette Hauser, president and CEO of the Trust for Public Land. “At a time when so much in our nation seems fractured or polarized, parks may be the last ideology-free zones.”

Looking ahead

The ParkScore index is intended to help cities prioritize improvements and advocate for funding. By mapping block-by-block access, the tool identifies where new parks are most needed.

Tulsa’s park officials can use the data to focus on underserved areas and explore ways to expand access through new parks, safer crossings and better connectivity.

More information about Tulsa’s ParkScore and national rankings is available at tpl.org/parkscore.