Impact of Parks, Recreation, and Other Open Space Areas on Property Values and Quality of Life: A Case Study of South Middleton Township

Abstract

Parks, recreation, and open space activities generally provide numerous quality of life benefits and typically have positive impacts on property values. For a complete understanding of different dimensions of such benefits and impacts on quality of life, the South Middleton Township (a less studied suburban area) in South Central Pennsylvania was selected for a case study. To see the impact of adjacency and proximity of parks and open space on quality of life and on assessed property values regression analysis as a statistical technique was used. The results of the statistical analysis are not conclusive, suggesting a need for further consideration across a wider number of municipalities and open space types.