Overall, America's Urban Parks Get High Marks

The Atlantic Media/Siemens State of the City poll asked roughly 1,600 Americans to rate the availability of parks and recreation facilities near their households. And for all you suburban fathers: Think twice before boasting in the office about your neighborhood’s little league field. Urban residents, it appears, are just as happy with their parks and recreation spaces as those living outside the city.

Sixty-five percent of urban residents rated their park and recreation access as either "excellent" or "good"—exactly the same share of non-urban residents (those living in both rural and suburban areas) who felt the same way. Given the breadth of the term, grouping all non-urban residents undoubtedly creates statistical challenges. A wealthy Dallas suburb may be able to allocate more resources toward recreation than a West Texas farm town. Nevertheless, the evident satisfaction among urban poll responders highlights that cities have worked hard in recent years to ensure outdoor recreation access.