2 North Texas cities rank among worst in nation for recreation

Two North Texas suburbs ranked near dead-last among the largest U.S. cities for recreation, according to a new study by personal finance website WalletHub.

Irving and Garland ranked 5th and 7th worst, respectively.

Overall, Dallas-Fort Worth fared pretty poorly. Only one North Texas city ranked in the Top 50, with Plano grabbing the No. 48 spot.

Fort Worth came in at No. 51; Arlington at No. 64, and Dallas at No. 65.

So what’s the deal?

To determine the rankings, WalletHub compared the largest 100 cities across 47 key metrics, including the number of playgrounds, swimming pools, tennis courts, golf courses and music venues per capita, the percentage of city land devoted to parks, city spending on parks and recreation and average fitness club fees.

The study found that Irving ranked 51st for swimming pools, 80th for percent of parkland and 87th for tennis courts per capita.

Garland, meanwhile, ranked 93rd for playgrounds and 99th for music venues per capita.

“Staying active isn’t just good for your health. It’s also good for your wallet,” the study reads, noting that strong parks can have a significant effect on property values and can help reduce healthcare costs. “One of the best ways to maintain an active lifestyle is to choose a city that encourages and facilitates recreation.”

The complete study is available online.