How Much Money Is Spent on US Public Parks? ~$13 Billion Annually by Cities

According to the Trust for Public Land's 2020 ParkScore Index, the 100 largest US cities collectively spend approximately $13 billion per year on public parks and recreation.

Breakdown Context

• Operating expenditures: Maintenance, staffing, programs, utilities (~60-70%).
• Capital expenditures: Land acquisition, new parks, major renovations (~30-40%).
• Per capita: Varies wildly – $100 to $500+ per resident/year.
• Top spenders (per capita): Washington DC, Seattle, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Portland.

Beyond Cities

• State parks: ~$3-4B/year (state general funds, fees, grants).
• National parks (NPS): ~$3.3B FY2023 appropriation (operations + construction).
• County / regional parks: Billions more.
• Private/nonprofit: Land trusts, conservancies (Central Park Conservancy, etc.).

Economic Return

Studies show $4–$10 return per $1 invested via: property value increase, tourism, health savings, stormwater management, air quality, community cohesion.

Funding Sources

• General fund (property/sales tax)
• Dedicated park taxes (parcel taxes, sales tax increments)
• Bonds (capital projects)
• Grants (LWCF, state, federal)
• Fees (permits, concessions, rentals)
• Philanthropy

$13B is a floor—total US public park spending across all levels likely exceeds $20-25B/year. Still, many systems face deferred maintenance backlogs (NPS: ~$22B).