Head to Head
Austin, TX vs Houston, TX
Austin leads with a Fun Score of 74, ahead by 35 points. Across 23 individual factors, Austin wins 16 and Houston wins 6, with 1 tied.
- Factor wins — Austin
- 16 of 23
- Tied
- 1
- Factor wins — Houston
- 6 of 23
| Factor | Austin, TX | Houston, TX |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 76 Best | 34 |
| Drinks | 77 Best | 40 |
| Coffee | 71 Best | 37 |
| Live Music | 73 Best | 46 |
| Star Power | 65 | 88 Best |
| Outdoors | 46 Best | 19 |
| Culture | 46 Best | 20 |
| Events | 77 Best | 70 |
| Sports | 37 | 73 Best |
| Unique Hangouts | 71 Best | 57 |
| City Vibe | 86 | 88 Best |
| Climate | 44 | 74 Best |
| Transit Quality | 59 | 70 Best |
| Walkability | 54 Best | 32 |
| Higher Education | 65 Best | 58 |
| Bike & Micromobility | 87 Best | 22 |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 65 Best | 83 |
| Traffic | 56 Best | 82 |
| Air Quality | 82 Best | 86 |
| Disaster Risk | 55 Best | 91 |
| Weather Extremes | 56 | 30 Best |
| Economic Strain | 17 Best | 85 |
| 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 →