Each year, Polco is proud to celebrate local governments with the Best in Governance Awards — the nation's only awards program honoring communities for both resident experience and measurable outcomes. These awards shine a light on the jurisdictions that stand out as the most effective, innovative, and community-centered across the country, as measured through national data.
We're continuing our series recognizing the Top Performers across essential areas of community livability. Today, we're spotlighting the Parks & Recreation category.
Parks and recreation are where cities come alive. They're the trails where residents find peace, the fields where kids play, and the community centers where people connect and grow. The Best in Governance Awards for Parks & Recreation honor communities that make these moments possible — places where public spaces foster wellness, belonging, and joy for all.
The Best in Governance Awards are based on extensive, high-quality data, including results from the National Community Survey (The NCS) and national indicators from Polco's Government Performance Action Lab (GPAL). Together, these measures paint a vivid picture of how communities excel and evolve in one of the most visible and valued aspects of livability.
Because Parks & Recreation is measured through both lenses, this year's honorees are recognized across three groups: Community Impact — Excellence highlights the top performers on measurable, public-data outcomes; Voice of the People — Excellence recognizes the communities with the highest resident ratings nationwide; and Voice of the People — Transformation celebrates those that achieved the biggest improvements in resident ratings over time.
The communities recognized as Top Performers represent the very best in creating public spaces that foster wellness, belonging, and joy. The National Champions in each category will be announced in October.
Congratulations to all of this year's Top Performers. We're honored to showcase your leadership in building stronger, smarter, and more connected communities. Visit our awards page for more information about Polco's Best in Governance Awards.