BACKGROUND: Little national evidence is available on spatial disparities in distributions of parks and green spaces in the USA. PURPOSE: This study examines ecological associations of spatial access to parks and green spaces with percentages of black, Hispanic, and low-income residents across the urban-rural continuum in the conterminous USA. METHODS: Census tract-level park and green space data were linked with data from the 2010 U.S. Census and 2006-2010 American Community Surveys. Linear mixed regression models were performed to examine these associations. RESULTS: Poverty levels were negatively associated with distances to parks and percentages of green spaces in urban/suburban areas while positively associated in rural areas. Percentages of blacks and Hispanics were in general negatively linked to distances to parks and green space coverage along the urban-rural spectrum. CONCLUSIONS: Place-based race-ethnicity and poverty are important correlates of spatial access to parks and green spaces, but the associations vary across the urbanization levels.
Wen et al. (2013) studied this question.