NEW YORK — Girls who live in urban areas start sports at a later age and have lower rates of participation than urban boys and suburban girls, according to a report released Thursday by the Women's Sports Foundation.

The report "Go Out and Play: Youth Sports in America" by professor Don Sabo at D'Youville College in Buffalo, N.Y., also looked at sports participation among disabled and immigrant youth.

Girls in urban areas with a family income of $35,000 or less enter sports on average at 10.2 years old compared to 7.6 for boys, according to a 2007 Harris Interactive survey of 2,185 youth in the third through 12th grades and 863 parents.

Physical activity among urban girls lags well behind their male counterparts. In urban areas, 59 percent of third- to fifth-grade girls were involved in at least one sport, compared to 80 percent of urban boys. That compared to 81 percent participation for suburban girls and 89 percent for suburban boys.

"A level playing field exists for suburban boys and girls," Sabo said. "However, urban communities are often faced with a lack of space and resources. When funds for sports are found, boys seem to come first."