Sample data. These scores are illustrative placeholders, not real measurements — live scores arrive when the data pipeline runs.
Where Dallas lands on the scale
Every city is graded on the same 0–100 Fun Score, split into five bands from quiet to exceptional — here is where Dallas sits.
Pro sports in Dallas
The five major US leagues anchor a city’s sports identity — home stadiums, season-long event flow, drive-time fanbases. Dallas hosts 3 major-league teams across 3 leagues.
- MLS FC Dallas
- NBA Dallas Mavericks
- NHL Dallas Stars
How the Fun Score adds up
The Fun Score is one number with two halves — 16 things that make Dallas fun, minus 7 that wear it down. Here is the arithmetic.
16 things that lift the score, blended onto 0–100
7 things that wear it down, blended onto 0–100
- Fun factors lift it
- –
- Drawbacks pull it down
- –
- Raw composite
- –
- Fun Score placed on the published 0–100 scale
- –
Only 40% of the drawback total is subtracted — even a great city can carry a few flaws. Every factor below spells its contribution out as an equation — score times weight. Those 23 contributions are the building blocks behind the two totals above (each is rounded for display).
The Fun breakdown
Every factor is scored 0–100 against the other cities in the index.
Dallas's strongest factors are City Vibe, Star Power and Live Music. Its heaviest drawbacks are Air Quality, Disaster Risk and Economic Strain.
On every bar, the marker shows the typical city — the median score across the whole index.
What lifts the score
- Eats –
Restaurants, food halls and the depth of the dining scene.
Measured from OpenStreetMap restaurant counts, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality.
- Drinks –
Bars, breweries, cocktail rooms and the nightlife spread.
Measured from OpenStreetMap bars, pubs, nightclubs and craft breweries/distilleries, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality.
- Coffee –
Cafés and the strength of the third-place coffee culture.
Measured from OpenStreetMap café counts, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality.
-
Music venues and how often live shows actually happen.
Measured from Ticketmaster and SeatGeek show listings, plus OpenStreetMap music venues.
-
Notable people the city is known for, plus headliner acts that tour through.
Measured from SeatGeek headliner popularity and Wikidata notable residents (rank-blended).
- Outdoors –
Parks, beaches and easy access to nature.
Measured from OpenStreetMap parks, nature reserves, playgrounds and beaches, plus National Park Service units and Recreation.gov federal facilities.
- Culture –
Museums, theatres, galleries and arts institutions.
Measured from OpenStreetMap museums, galleries and theatres plus geo-tagged Wikipedia landmarks, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality.
- Events –
Festivals, fairs and a packed year-round events calendar.
Measured from Ticketmaster and SeatGeek festivals, fairs and ticketed events.
- Sports –
Pro and college teams and the game-day energy around them.
Measured from Ticketmaster and SeatGeek pro and college games, plus OpenStreetMap stadiums, sports centres and fitness centres.
-
Escape rooms, arcades, trampoline parks and karaoke spots.
Measured from OpenStreetMap escape rooms, arcades, trampoline parks and karaoke venues, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality.
-
How much the city is talked about and searched for — news and search attention.
Measured from GDELT news tone and Google Trends search interest (each percentile-ranked, then averaged).
- Climate –
How often the weather is good enough to get outside.
Measured from NOAA climate normals — counts of comfortable days.
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How well a person without a car can move around the city.
Measured from GTFS schedules via Transit.land, the Federal Transit Administration National Transit Database and US Census ACS B08301 commuter mode share.
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Density of fun within walking distance — sidewalks, intersections, mixed-use blocks.
Measured from EPA National Walkability Index (block-group resolution, population-weighted to the city).
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Density of college and university students — the engine behind a college town.
Measured from NCES Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) full-time-equivalent enrollment and US Census ACS age cohort data.
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Protected bike lanes and a working public bikeshare system.
Measured from OpenStreetMap protected cycleway segments and the MobilityData GBFS bikeshare-feed catalog.
What weighs it down
- Crime –
Reported violent and property crime rates.
Measured from FBI Crime Data Explorer and city open-data crime portals.
- Traffic –
Congestion and the time lost to commuting.
Measured from US Census commute-time data (ACS).
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Recent particulate matter and ozone levels — a trailing-week air-quality average.
Measured from EPA AirNow and OpenAQ pollution readings (seven-day trailing average).
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Exposure to natural hazards and severe events.
Measured from FEMA National Risk Index.
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Punishing heat, cold and storm extremes.
Measured from NOAA Storm Events and climate-extremes data.
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Cost of living and housing pressure on residents.
Measured from Bureau of Labor Statistics unemployment, HUD Fair Market Rent and US Census median income plus poverty rate.
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What a typical night out actually costs in this metro.
Measured from Bureau of Labor Statistics regional Consumer Price Index — food away from home, recreation services and transportation services.
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Cities like Dallas
The Dallas read Free
A written read on Dallas, grounded in the data
A plain-English analysis of why Dallas scores the way it does — its standout strengths, where it falls short, who it suits best, and the cities most like it. Every figure is drawn from the same 23 factors on this page: it narrates the measured data, it never invents a number.
Dallas, TX earns a Fun Score of 38, placing it in the "Some Fun" category, and stands out nationally for its vibrant City Vibe.
Why it scores high
Dallas shines with a remarkably high City Vibe score of 90, tying for eighth place nationally out of 134 cities (GDELT news tone and Google Trends search interest (each percentile-ranked, then averaged)). This suggests a city with a dynamic atmosphere and significant public interest, making it an engaging place to live or visit. The city also boasts considerable Star Power, scoring 87 and tying for 16th nationally (SeatGeek headliner popularity and Wikidata notable residents (rank-blended)). This indicates a strong presence of notable personalities and a high-profile entertainment scene, drawing in major events and talent.
The city's Live Music scene is another strong point, with a score of 67, ranking 45th nationally (Ticketmaster and SeatGeek show listings, plus OpenStreetMap music venues). This suggests a healthy array of venues and performances, offering residents and visitors plenty of opportunities to catch a show. Furthermore, Events in Dallas score 65, tying for 47th nationally (Ticketmaster and SeatGeek festivals, fairs and ticketed events), indicating a consistent calendar of festivals, fairs, and ticketed happenings throughout the year.
Dallas also offers a relatively affordable going-out experience, with a Going-Out Cost score of 65, tying for 22nd nationally (Bureau of Labor Statistics regional Consumer Price Index — food away from home, recreation services and transportation services). This means that enjoying the city's entertainment and dining options is generally more budget-friendly compared to many other major cities.
Where it falls short
Despite its strengths, Dallas faces challenges in several areas. Its Air Quality is notably low, scoring only 8 and tying for 130th nationally (EPA AirNow and OpenAQ pollution readings (seven-day trailing average)). This indicates frequent or significant air pollution, which can impact outdoor activities and overall well-being. The city also scores poorly in Sports, with a score of 14, tying for 115th nationally (Ticketmaster and SeatGeek pro and college games, plus OpenStreetMap stadiums, sports centres and fitness centres), suggesting a less robust professional or collegiate sports presence compared to other cities.
Dallas also contends with a significant Disaster Risk, scoring 16 and tying for 112th nationally (FEMA National Risk Index). This indicates a higher susceptibility to natural disasters, which can pose challenges for residents and infrastructure. Additionally, Weather Extremes score 23, tying for 103rd nationally (NOAA Storm Events and climate-extremes data), suggesting that the city experiences a higher frequency or intensity of severe weather events. The city's Traffic also presents a hurdle, scoring 25 and ranking 101st nationally (US Census commute-time data (ACS)), indicating longer commute times and congestion for residents.
Who it's for
Dallas is ideal for individuals who thrive on a lively urban atmosphere, enjoy a strong live music and events scene, and appreciate a city with notable public figures and cultural presence. It's a good fit for those who prioritize a dynamic social environment and a relatively affordable cost for entertainment, and who are willing to overlook challenges related to air quality and traffic.
Cities like it
- Philadelphia, PA: Like Dallas, Philadelphia offers a strong urban vibe and a rich history, with a vibrant cultural scene.
- San Antonio, TX: Another Texas city, San Antonio shares some of Dallas's cultural appeal and a strong sense of local identity.
- Houston, TX: Houston, also in Texas, is similar to Dallas in its large size and diverse economy, offering a wide range of urban amenities.
Sources
- Bureau of Labor Statistics regional Consumer Price Index — food away from home, recreation services and transportation services
- Bureau of Labor Statistics unemployment, HUD Fair Market Rent and US Census median income plus poverty rate
- EPA AirNow and OpenAQ pollution readings (seven-day trailing average)
- EPA National Walkability Index (block-group resolution, population-weighted to the city)
- FEMA National Risk Index
- FBI Crime Data Explorer and city open-data crime portals
- GDELT news tone and Google Trends search interest (each percentile-ranked, then averaged)
- GTFS schedules via Transit.land, the Federal Transit Administration National Transit Database and US Census ACS B08301 commuter mode share
- NCES Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) full-time-equivalent enrollment and US Census ACS age cohort data
- NOAA climate normals — counts of comfortable days
- NOAA Storm Events and climate-extremes data
- OpenStreetMap bars, pubs, nightclubs and craft breweries/distilleries, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality
- OpenStreetMap caf\u00e9 counts, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality
- OpenStreetMap escape rooms, arcades, trampoline parks and karaoke venues, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality
- OpenStreetMap museums, galleries and theatres plus geo-tagged Wikipedia landmarks, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality
- OpenStreetMap parks, nature reserves, playgrounds and beaches, plus National Park Service units and Recreation.gov federal facilities
- OpenStreetMap protected cycleway segments and the MobilityData GBFS bikeshare-feed catalog
- OpenStreetMap restaurant counts, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality
- OpenStreetMap music venues
- SeatGeek headliner popularity and Wikidata notable residents (rank-blended)
- Ticketmaster and SeatGeek festivals, fairs and ticketed events
- Ticketmaster and SeatGeek pro and college games, plus OpenStreetMap stadiums, sports centres and fitness centres
- Ticketmaster and SeatGeek show listings
- US Census commute-time data (ACS)
This narrative is generated by AI from CityFunIndex's measured data. The Fun Scores, ranks and raw values are computed deterministically; the wording around them is the model's. Verify any figure against the linked city page.
Go deeper
Use the data
Dallas’s Fun Score and every factor score are available through the licensed CityFunIndex API — clean JSON, metered one call per city record, behind a paid key.
Cite this page
Paste-ready credit line for journalists, researchers and bloggers. Carries the score, the algorithm version and the canonical URL so readers can verify it themselves.
CityFunIndex Fun Score for Dallas, TX: 38/100 (v2.1.0-dev). https://cityfunindex.com/city/dallas-tx
Press, research and partnership enquiries: media kit · api@cityfunindex.com.