Since the beginning of 2020, millions of Americans have added a new dog to their families. The pandemic-induced pet boom has a whole new generation of pooch parents to the rigors and responsibilities of pet ownership. (These are the dog breeds that soared in popularity last year.)
Suburban dog owners have the luxury of letting their dogs out into the backyard, but those in major cities rely on local dog parks to give their four-legged friends a chance to get exercise and socialize with other dogs. Every major city has dog parks, but some places stand out with great access to dog parks of particularly high quality.
To determine the best cities for dog parks, 24/7 Tempo reviewed the list 2022’s Best Dog Park Cities from LawnStarter. a lawn care start-up that frequently conducts research into city and state amenities. Nearly 100 of the largest cities in the country were ranked based on an index of the number of dog parks per capita, the quality of those parks, and the overall climate in the city.
California is home to six of the 25 best dog park cities in the country, by far the most of any state. This is due, in part, to the fact that cities in the Golden State have some of the best weather in the country. Virginia, Nevada, Texas, and Florida cities also appear on this list multiple times.
Click here to see the best cities for dog parks in 2022
Many of the best top cities have both a high quantity and quality of dog parks. Several cities on this list go above and beyond when catering to canines. Some have enormous off-leash areas for dogs to sprint to their heart’s content. Others have indoor parks for climate control, agility courses, and even water fixtures for dogs to play in. (These are the most family-friendly dogs.)
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25. Anaheim, CA
> Overall score: 39.6
> Access rank: #57 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #30 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #4 out of 93 cities
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24. Albuquerque, NM
> Overall score: 39.6
> Access rank: #13 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #56 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #25 out of 93 cities
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23. Pittsburgh, PA
> Overall score: 39.6
> Access rank: #15 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #17 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #92 out of 93 cities
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22. San Diego, CA
> Overall score: 40.6
> Access rank: #48 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #26 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #1 out of 93 cities
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21. Lincoln, NE
> Overall score: 40.8
> Access rank: #38 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #7 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #65 out of 93 cities
20. Chula Vista, CA
> Overall score: 41.3
> Access rank: #13 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #59 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #1 out of 93 cities
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19. St. Petersburg, FL
> Overall score: 41.6
> Access rank: #15 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #32 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #31 out of 93 cities
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18. Tucson, AZ
> Overall score: 42.0
> Access rank: #29 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #33 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #15 out of 93 cities
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17. Lexington, KY
> Overall score: 43.4
> Access rank: #25 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #6 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #75 out of 93 cities
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16. Sacramento, CA
> Overall score: 43.7
> Access rank: #9 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #60 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #16 out of 93 cities
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15. Chesapeake, VA
> Overall score: 44.4
> Access rank: #23 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #10 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #36 out of 93 cities
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14. Arlington, VA
> Overall score: 44.5
> Access rank: #7 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #53 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #56 out of 93 cities
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13. Madison, WI
> Overall score: 45.1
> Access rank: #5 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #49 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #85 out of 93 cities
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12. Greensboro, NC
> Overall score: 46.0
> Access rank: #64 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #3 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #53 out of 93 cities
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11. Toledo, OH
> Overall score: 46.4
> Access rank: #74 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #1 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #87 out of 93 cities
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10. Lubbock, TX
> Overall score: 49.4
> Access rank: #57 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #4 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #27 out of 93 cities
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9. Norfolk, VA
> Overall score: 50.4
> Access rank: #11 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #8 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #36 out of 93 cities
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8. Reno, NV
> Overall score: 51.4
> Access rank: #25 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #5 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #24 out of 93 cities
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7. Irving, TX
> Overall score: 51.7
> Access rank: #48 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #2 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #44 out of 93 cities
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6. Oakland, CA
> Overall score: 52.7
> Access rank: #4 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #54 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #17 out of 93 cities
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5. Las Vegas, NV
> Overall score: 53.2
> Access rank: #8 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #42 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #8 out of 93 cities
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4. Tampa, FL
> Overall score: 54.6
> Access rank: #5 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #24 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #31 out of 93 cities
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3. Portland, OR
> Overall score: 56.4
> Access rank: #1 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #55 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #50 out of 93 cities
2. Henderson, NV
> Overall score: 59.4
> Access rank: #2 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #48 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #8 out of 93 cities
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1. San Francisco, CA
> Overall score: 62.2
> Access rank: #3 out of 93 cities
> Quality rank: #18 out of 93 cities
> Climate rank: #17 out of 93 cities
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