Head to Head
Asheville, NC vs Raleigh, NC
Asheville leads with a Fun Score of 87, ahead by 20 points. Across 23 individual factors, Asheville wins 14 and Raleigh wins 8, with 1 tied.
- Factor wins — Asheville
- 14 of 23
- Tied
- 1
- Factor wins — Raleigh
- 8 of 23
| Factor | Asheville, NC | Raleigh, NC |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 90 Best | 62 |
| Drinks | 91 Best | 54 |
| Coffee | 84 Best | 42 |
| Live Music | 91 Best | 54 |
| Star Power | 32 | 47 Best |
| Outdoors | 61 Best | 44 |
| Culture | 86 Best | 53 |
| Events | 59 | 65 Best |
| Sports | 92 Best | 25 |
| Unique Hangouts | 81 Best | 31 |
| City Vibe | 49 | 90 Best |
| Climate | 68 Best | 67 |
| Transit Quality | 41 | 44 Best |
| Walkability | 49 Best | 43 |
| Higher Education | 25 | 81 Best |
| Bike & Micromobility | 36 | 82 Best |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 87 | 44 Best |
| Traffic | 10 Best | 50 |
| Air Quality | 7 Best | 42 |
| Disaster Risk | 14 Best | 37 |
| Weather Extremes | 23 Best | 63 |
| Economic Strain | 50 | 12 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 →