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The Economic Effect of Parks and Community-Managed Open Spaces on Residential House Prices in Baltimore, MD

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  • Sherry Russell

    (Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA)

  • Byoung-Suk Kweon

    (Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA)

Abstract

Urban greenspaces, such as parks and other public vegetated spaces, provide respite from the built environment for residents and visitors. Lesser-known urban greenspaces are community-managed open spaces (CMOSs), such as play lots, community gardens, and memorial gardens. This study investigated the effect of the distance to and size of parks and CMOSs on residential house prices in Baltimore, MD, in 2016–2017 using a hedonic price model. This is the first study of an urban city comparing parks and CMOSs. The study included 21,116 houses sold and revealed that park proximate price premiums ranged from 7.73% to 11.01% for distances of up to a 1/2 mile, and the CMOS proximate price premiums were 8.69% and 8.96% for distances of up to 1/8 and 1/4 miles, respectively. Moreover, both parks and CMOSs revealed a buyer preference of a 1/8 to 1/2 mile distance from these urban greenspaces. Small- to medium-sized parks, less than 9.65 acres, increased house prices by approximately 2.36%, and small CMOSs, less than 0.24 acres, increased house prices by 5.93%. These results confirm that parks and CMOSs provide economic benefits in addition to their social, health, and well-being benefits and suggest that CMOSs are a viable economic development strategy for communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Sherry Russell & Byoung-Suk Kweon, 2025. "The Economic Effect of Parks and Community-Managed Open Spaces on Residential House Prices in Baltimore, MD," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-20, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:3:p:483-:d:1600008
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ioan Voicu & Vicki Been, 2008. "The Effect of Community Gardens on Neighboring Property Values," Real Estate Economics, American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, vol. 36(2), pages 241-283, June.
    2. Charlotte Ham & Patricia A. Champ & John B. Loomis & Robin M. Reich, 2012. "Accounting for Heterogeneity of Public Lands in Hedonic Property Models," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 88(3), pages 444-456.
    3. Espey, Molly & Owusu-Edusei, Kwame, 2001. "Neighborhood Parks And Residential Property Values In Greenville, South Carolina," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Southern Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 33(3), pages 1-6, December.
    4. Desen Lin & Shane T. Jensen & Susan M. Wachter, 2023. "The price effects of greening vacant lots: How neighborhood attributes matter," Real Estate Economics, American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, vol. 51(3), pages 573-610, May.
    5. Anderson, Soren T. & West, Sarah E., 2006. "Open space, residential property values, and spatial context," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(6), pages 773-789, November.
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