Parks and recreation fosters healthy and prosperous communities. Local public spaces are for people of all ages, incomes, races, ethnicities and abilities. Local parks provided a respite during the challenging times of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and continue to be places for rest, relaxation, celebration and fellowship. Local recreation, community and senior centers offer residents a place to exercise, learn and commune. They also provide children with out-of-school opportunities, giving parents peace of mind that their children are cared for while they fulfill work and life obligations. Local park and recreation services and amenities are the result of the unwavering dedication of more than 160,000 full-time professionals and hundreds of thousands of part-time and seasonal workers that collaborate with legions of passionate volunteers. With more than 10,000 local agencies nationwide, people benefit from one of America’s most essential offerings: parks and recreation.

Local parks and recreation is a staple in communities across the country. These facilities provide a wide variety of opportunities for local residents. From offering spaces for families and friends to come together, to providing moments of peace in an otherwise busy life, to playing a vital role in healthy ecosystems and endeavoring to make those facilities inclusive to and accessible by all people, local parks and recreation offers something for everyone.

Thanks to diverse offerings, low- or no-cost programming, and the sheer number of sites from which to choose, local parks and recreation continues to play an integral role in the lives of the typical U.S. resident each year. Eighty-four percent of survey respondents — the equivalent of more than 280 million people in the United States — visited a local park or recreation facility at least once during the 12 months ending in May 2023.

Since 2016, the Research team of the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) has conducted a yearly survey to better understand how people connect with parks and recreation across the United States. The report provides park and recreation professionals and advocates, policymakers, and other key stakeholders with insights into how local parks and recreation facilities impact the lives of every person in our nation.

The 2023 NRPA Engagement with Parks Report makes clear this point: people place a high value on the programs and services that park and recreation agencies deliver to their local communities every day and strongly support their mission. The public’s strong and broad-based support for parks and recreation continues to be shown regardless of what the world may be going through.

Read The Report

• More than 280 million people in the United States visited a local park or recreation facility at least once during the past year
• Seven in 10 U.S. residents have at least one local park, playground, open space or recreation center within walking distance of their homes
• Eighty-four percent U.S. adults seek high-quality parks and recreation when choosing a place to live
• Nine in 10 people agree that parks and recreation is an important service provided by their local government
• Eighty-eight percent of U.S. adults agree it is vital for local park and recreation agencies to engage with every member of their community to ensure offerings meet their needs
• Visitors who find their parks and recreation facilities to be inclusive visit these areas nearly two times as often as those who do not hold this view