Head to Head
Asheville, NC vs Durham, NC
Asheville leads with a Fun Score of 87, ahead by 24 points. Across 23 individual factors, Asheville wins 14 and Durham wins 7, with 2 tied.
- Factor wins — Asheville
- 14 of 23
- Tied
- 2
- Factor wins — Durham
- 7 of 23
| Factor | Asheville, NC | Durham, NC |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 90 Best | 48 |
| Drinks | 91 Best | 42 |
| Coffee | 84 Best | 28 |
| Live Music | 91 Best | 44 |
| Star Power | 32 | 36 Best |
| Outdoors | 61 Best | 52 |
| Culture | 86 Best | 43 |
| Events | 59 Best | 56 |
| Sports | 92 Best | 88 |
| Unique Hangouts | 81 Best | 77 |
| City Vibe | 49 | 55 Best |
| Climate | 68 | 68 |
| Transit Quality | 41 | 55 Best |
| Walkability | 49 Best | 18 |
| Higher Education | 25 | 68 Best |
| Bike & Micromobility | 36 | 79 Best |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 87 | 75 Best |
| Traffic | 10 Best | 41 |
| Air Quality | 7 Best | 44 |
| Disaster Risk | 14 Best | 16 |
| Weather Extremes | 23 Best | 24 |
| Economic Strain | 50 | 15 Best |
| Going-Out Cost | 35 | 35 |
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 →