Best Cities
The best cities, by category
The Fun Score blends 16 things that make a city worth being in — and weighs 7 more that wear it down. Here is every factor on its own: pick a category and see which cities lead it.
The score beside each leader is a national percentile rank on a saturation curve, so the top city in every category lands near the same ceiling — the ranks beneath are still distinct. See how scoring works →
The closest race is Eats, where Gatlinburg (93) edges out Stowe (92) by a single point.
Best for…
The 16 factors that lift a city’s Fun Score.
- Best for eats Restaurants, food halls and the depth of the dining scene. Led by Gatlinburg, TN 93
- Best for drinks Bars, breweries, cocktail rooms and the nightlife spread. Led by Stowe, VT 93
- Best for coffee Cafés and the strength of the third-place coffee culture. Led by Stowe, VT 93
- Best for live music Music venues and how often live shows actually happen. Led by Cleveland, OH 93
- Best for star power Notable people the city is known for, plus headliner acts that tour through. Led by New York, NY 93
- Best for outdoors Parks, beaches and easy access to nature. Led by Aspen, CO 93
- Best for culture Museums, theatres, galleries and arts institutions. Led by Stowe, VT 93
- Best for events Festivals, fairs and a packed year-round events calendar. Led by Las Vegas, NV 93
- Best for sports Pro and college teams and the game-day energy around them. Led by Jackson, WY 93
- Best for unique hangouts Escape rooms, arcades, trampoline parks and karaoke spots. Led by Gatlinburg, TN 93
- Best for city vibe How much the city is talked about and searched for — news and search attention. Led by Billings, MT 93
- Best for climate How often the weather is good enough to get outside. Led by Miami, FL 93
- Best for transit quality How well a person without a car can move around the city. Led by New York, NY 93
- Best for walkability Density of fun within walking distance — sidewalks, intersections, mixed-use blocks. Led by San Francisco, CA 93
- Best for higher education Density of college and university students — the engine behind a college town. Led by Fargo, ND 93
- Best for bike & micromobility Protected bike lanes and a working public bikeshare system. Led by Portland, OR 93
Safest & calmest
The 7 factors that wear a Fun Score down — flipped, so the city with the least crime, traffic or strain leads each board.
The tightest race here is Cities with the cheapest night out, where Bismarck and Chicago are tied at 92.
- The safest cities in America The cities with the least reported violent and property crime. Led by Jackson, WY 100
- Cities with the lightest traffic The cities where congestion steals the least of your day. Led by Telluride, CO 100
- Cities with the cleanest air The cities with the fewest unhealthy-air days. Led by Anchorage, AK 100
- Cities at the lowest disaster risk The cities least exposed to natural hazards and severe events. Led by Stowe, VT 100
- Cities with the mildest weather The cities spared the harshest heat, cold and storms. Led by Seattle, WA 100
- The most affordable cities The cities that put the least cost-of-living pressure on residents. Led by Jackson, WY 100
- Cities with the cheapest night out The cities where dinner, drinks, a show and the ride home cost the least. 21 cities tied at 92