Head to Head
Asheville, NC vs Des Moines, IA
Asheville leads with a Fun Score of 81, ahead by 4 points. Across 23 individual factors, Asheville wins 13 and Des Moines wins 10.
- Factor wins — Asheville
- 13 of 23
- Tied
- 0
- Factor wins — Des Moines
- 10 of 23
| Factor | Asheville, NC | Des Moines, IA |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 90 Best | 39 |
| Drinks | 91 Best | 80 |
| Coffee | 84 Best | 35 |
| Live Music | 93 Best | 87 |
| Star Power | 32 | 56 Best |
| Outdoors | 61 | 78 Best |
| Culture | 86 Best | 75 |
| Events | 59 | 85 Best |
| Sports | 92 Best | 86 |
| Unique Hangouts | 78 Best | 45 |
| City Vibe | 26 | 59 Best |
| Climate | 68 Best | 29 |
| Transit Quality | 41 Best | 26 |
| Walkability | 49 | 52 Best |
| Higher Education | 25 | 90 Best |
| Bike & Micromobility | 36 | 75 Best |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 87 | 61 Best |
| Traffic | 10 Best | 19 |
| Air Quality | 60 Best | 90 |
| Disaster Risk | 14 Best | 23 |
| Weather Extremes | 23 Best | 71 |
| Economic Strain | 42 | 26 Best |
| Going-Out Cost | 35 | 8 Best |
Scores are 0–100 percentile ranks. For drawback factors (crime, traffic, etc.) a lower number is better — the Best badge marks whichever city has less. Full methodology →