New Yorkers for Parks | Research Library

Overview
Bronx
Brooklyn
Manhattan
Queens
Staten Island
Methodology

New Yorkers for Parks is proud to share the 2021 Open Space Profiles. The Profiles are at-a-glance fact sheets about parks and open space citywide, broken down by NYC community board district. From open space quality and access to demographic and health information, our Profiles offer a well-rounded analysis for all 59 NYC community districts. Elected officials, candidates, and community groups alike can use these to better understand and illustrate parks, open space, and social issues in their areas.

Highlights from the data

33% of New Yorkers do not have a park within a five minute walk.
48 of 59 districts have less than 10 percent of city-owned parkland within their district.
12 of the 20 districts with the least amount of parkland are districts with a majority people of color — there is a severe lack of equitable access to open spaces across the city.
Some districts, such as Brooklyn 17 comprising East Flatbush, has 1% of parkland for a community that's 89% Black. Bronx 5, which includes University Heights and Fordham, has 3% parkland and a 70% Latinx population.
Majority-white communities are not universally well-resourced for public space. Brooklyn 12, comprising Borough Park, Kensington, Ocean Parkway, and Midwood, has a 70% white population and just 1% parkland.

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Looking for data broken down by City Council district? See our 2015 Open Space Profiles

Bronx

Data highlights from the Bronx

Walkability rates are above average, but some districts lack common amenities: 4 of 12 districts have no recreation center, 5 have no swimming pool, and 4 have no dog runs.
Health outcomes are worse in the Bronx than in other boroughs: air pollution figures are above the city average, 7 districts are in the top-ten rank of child asthma incidences, 8 are in the top-ten rank of child obesity rates, 6 are in the top-ten rank for adult obesity, and 8 are are in the top-ten rank for adult diabetes.
Greenery varies across the borough: Bronx 8 has the citywide highest rate of tree canopy cover while Bronx 2 has the second lowest.

Bronx Community Board 1: Mott Haven, Melrose
English • Español

Bronx Community Board 2: Hunts Point, Longwood
English • Español

Bronx Community Board 3: Morrisania, Crotona
English • Español

Bronx Community Board 4: Highbridge, South Concourse
English • Español

Bronx Community Board 5: University Heights, Fordham
English • Español

Bronx Community Board 6: Belmont, East Tremont
English • Español

Bronx Community Board 7: Kingsbridge Heights, Bedford
English • Español

Bronx Community Board 8: Riverdale, Fieldston
English • Español

Bronx Community Board 9: Parkchester, Soundview
English • Español

Bronx Community Board 10: Throgs Neck, Co-op City
English • Español

Bronx Community Board 11: Morris Park, Bronxdale
English • Español

Bronx Community Board 12: Williamsbridge, Baychester
English • Español

Brooklyn

Data highlights from Brooklyn

There are disparities across parkland totals in Brooklyn and many districts lack amenities: districts in South Brooklyn have few parks and open spaces, 11 of 18 have no recreation center, 10 have no swimming pool, and 10 have no dog runs.
Brooklyn districts are ranked below average for park condition and cleanliness.
Health outcomes vary widely, with some districts at the top for most asthma incidences and some with the least. The same is observed with rates of diabetes, obesity, and air pollution.

Brooklyn Community Board 1: Greenpoint, Williamsburg
English • Español

Brooklyn Community Board 2: Brooklyn Heights, Fort Greene
English • Español

Brooklyn Community Board 3: Bedford Stuyvesant
English • Español

Brooklyn Community Board 4: Bushwick
English • Español

Brooklyn Community Board 5: East New York, Starrett City
English • Español

Brooklyn Community Board 6: Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, Gowanus, Red Hook
English • Español

Brooklyn Community Board 7: Sunset Park
English • Español

Brooklyn Community Board 8: Crown Heights, Prospect Heights
English • Español

Brooklyn Community Board 9: South Crown Heights, Lefferts Gardens
English • Español

Brooklyn Community Board 10: Bay Ridge
English • Español

Brooklyn Community Board 11: Bensonhurst
English • Español

Brooklyn Community Board 12: Borough Park
English • Español

Brooklyn Community Board 13: Coney Island
English • Español

Brooklyn Community Board 14: Flatbush, Midwood
English • Español

Brooklyn Community Board 15: Sheepshead Bay
English • Español

Brooklyn Community Board 16: Brownsville
English • Español

Brooklyn Community Board 17: East Flatbush
English • Español

Brooklyn Community Board 18: Flatlands, Canarsie
English • Español

Manhattan

Data highlights from Manhattan

Manhattan has 7 of the top-10 worst air pollution community districts citywide. Manhattan 5 (Midtown) has the worst rating at 11.3 micrograms per square meter.
Manhattan has below-average city parks per 1,000 people, although walkability rates are fairly high. Some districts lack amenities: 3 have no recreation center and 1 has no dog runs.

Manhattan Community Board 1: Financial District
English • Español

Manhattan Community Board 2: Greenwich Village, SoHo
English • Español

Manhattan Community Board 3: Lower East Side, East Village, Chinatown
English • Español

Manhattan Community Board 4: Hell's Kitchen, Chelsea
English • Español

Manhattan Community Board 5: Midtown
English • Español

Manhattan Community Board 6: Stuyvesant Town, Peter Cooper Village, Turtle Bay
English • Español

Manhattan Community Board 7: Upper West Side
English • Español

Manhattan Community Board 8: Upper East Side
English • Español

Manhattan Community Board 9: Morningside Heights, Hamilton Heights
English • Español

Manhattan Community Board 10: Central Harlem
English • Español

Manhattan Community Board 11: East Harlem
English • Español

Manhattan Community Board 12: Washington Heights, Inwood
English • Español

Queens

Data highlights from Queens

Walkability in Queens districts is well below average, ranging from 26% to 67% of the population with five-minute walking access to a park or open space. Park amenities fall short in some districts: 7 of 14 districts have no recreation center, 7 have no swimming pool, and 7 have no dog runs.
Queens health and air pollution outcomes are better than in other boroughs. There is less air pollution, less child asthma incidences, more tree canopy coverage, and longer life expectancy.

Queens Community Board 1: Astoria
English • Español

Queens Community Board 2: Long Island City, Sunnyside, Woodside
English • Español

Queens Community Board 3: Jackson Heights
English • Español

Queens Community Board 4: Elmhurst, Corona
English • Español

Queens Community Board 5: Ridgewood, Maspeth
English • Español

Queens Community Board 6: Rego Park, Forest Hills
English • Español

Queens Community Board 7: Flushing, Whitestone
English • Español

Queens Community Board 8: Hillcrest, Fresh Meadows
English • Español

Queens Community Board 9: Ozone Park, Woodhaven
English • Español

Queens Community Board 10: South Ozone Park, Howard Beach
English • Español

Queens Community Board 11: Bayside, Little Neck
English • Español

Queens Community Board 12: Jamaica, Hollis
English • Español

Queens Community Board 13: Queens Village
English • Español

Queens Community Board 14: Rockaway, Broad Channel
English • Español

Staten Island

Data highlights from Staten Island

Staten Island districts have a high amount of parkland. All 3 districts rank in the top ten for city parks in district.
Overall, health statistics in Staten Island are mixed. Child asthma incidences and obesity rates are below average, adult obesity and diabetes are below average, and yet life expectancy is below average.
Staten Island has low rates of air pollution and high proportions of land covered by tree canopy.

Staten Island Community Board 1: Stapleton, St. George
English • Español

Staten Island Community Board 2: South Beach, Willowbrook
English • Español

Staten Island Community Board 3: Tottenville, Great Kills
English • Español

Methodology

Download the full methodology including data sources:

2021 Open Space Profiles Methodology and Data Sources

Special thanks to all the research and project staff who worked on this analysis.

Open Space Profile - Brooklyn Community Board 1

Greenpoint, Williamsburg