Feature Story

December 2020

Trust for Public Land Ranks Boise No. 1 for Dog Parks

The Trust for Public Land recently announced the top cities for dog parks in 2020, and Boise, Idaho, topped the list for the second year in a row, with six dog parks available per 100,000 residents. Laredo, Texas, saw the most improvement, moving from 84th to 32nd in the rankings. TPL ranks the 100 largest U.S. cities by population.

"Dog parks enrich our communities for dogs and caregivers alike," said Diane Regas, president and CEO of The Trust for Public Land. "By providing a place for our canine friends to get outdoors, cities are also providing a place for neighbors to gather and connect. During the pandemic, providing these avenues for community connection is more important than ever."

Dog parks are among the fastest-growing amenities in the 100 largest U.S. cities' park systems, and saw 3.8% growth over the past year. The Trust for Public calculates rank based on the number of dog parks for every 100,000 residents. Over the past five years, 2017 saw the greatest pace of growth in this amenity, with 55 new dog parks added, for a change of 8.1% from the previous year.

The Trust for Public Land provides guidance to municipalities on how to successfully build a dog park and provides best practices on its website. During the pandemic, different cities have made creative efforts to ensure visitors can safely use local dog parks while continuing to follow social distancing protocols.

The top U.S. cities for dog parks are:

1. Boise, Idaho (6 dog parks per 100,000 residents)
2. Portland, Ore. (5.8)
3. Henderson, Nev. (5.2)
4. Norfolk, Va. (5.2)
5. San Francisco (4.1)
6. Tampa, Fla. (3.9)
7. Las Vegas (3.8)
8. Oakland, Calif. (3.8)
9. Arlington, Va. (3.5)
10. Anchorage, Alaska (3)
11. Madison, Wis. (3)
12. Sacramento, Calif. (3)