Minneapolis/St. Paul Parks Rank Top Nationally
New Homes in Minnesota in Top Areas
Parks are much more than just pretty places. They provide learning opportunities, entertainment, exercise, and a place to relax and enjoy life. Even if local park systems aren’t on your list of things to consider when looking at new homes in Minnesota, they should be, particularly as the parks in Minneapolis and St. Paul are the best in the country.
Once again, The Trust for Public Land, a nonprofit group that works to create parks and protect land, has ranked the Minneapolis park system the best in the country in a recent report. The St. Paul park system came in second place. Out of a total score of 100, Minneapolis scored 84.2 and St. Paul scored 82.4.
The Trust for Public Land ranks park systems based on four primary categories: investment, park access, amenities, and acreage. Minneapolis and St. Paul both scored a perfect 40/40 on investment, and Minneapolis scored 39/40 on access and St. Paul scored 38/90. For amenities, Minneapolis scored 29/40, while St. Paul scored 32/40.
Acreage not only considers the median size of the parks in the cities, but also the percentage of the city that is considered parkland. When it comes to access, the goal is that all of the city’s residents live at most 10 minutes away from a park, a category in which both cities scored highly. When it comes to amenities, the six categories on which a park is judged are: off-leash dog parks, playgrounds, restrooms, basketball hoops, recreation and senior centers, and splashpads and other water play structures.
For the third year in a row, Minneapolis claims the top ranking in this listing. As well as the physical benefits of having parks nearby with amenities that enable everyone to reap the benefits, parks also help create a healthier overall environment by cleaning the air and also reducing the risk of storm damage. With all of the activities possible for all ages, parks ultimately contribute to a better sense of community and even contribute to the overall economy.
Minneapolis and St. Paul are rich with reasons people like to call this area home, including the top-quality park systems. Anyone looking at new homes in Minnesota should certainly consider the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and contact Key Land Homes today to see the variety of homes available in this inviting region.
