Head to Head
Boston, MA vs Des Moines, IA
Boston leads with a Fun Score of 100, ahead by 23 points. Across 23 individual factors, Boston wins 13 and Des Moines wins 10.
- Factor wins — Boston
- 13 of 23
- Tied
- 0
- Factor wins — Des Moines
- 10 of 23
| Factor | Boston, MA | Des Moines, IA |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 80 Best | 39 |
| Drinks | 65 | 80 Best |
| Coffee | 85 Best | 35 |
| Live Music | 92 Best | 87 |
| Star Power | 91 Best | 56 |
| Outdoors | 59 | 78 Best |
| Culture | 74 | 75 Best |
| Events | 82 | 85 Best |
| Sports | 87 Best | 86 |
| Unique Hangouts | 51 Best | 45 |
| City Vibe | 84 Best | 59 |
| Climate | 35 Best | 29 |
| Transit Quality | 92 Best | 26 |
| Walkability | 91 Best | 52 |
| Higher Education | 87 | 90 Best |
| Bike & Micromobility | 71 | 75 Best |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 35 Best | 61 |
| Traffic | 88 | 19 Best |
| Air Quality | 11 Best | 90 |
| Disaster Risk | 26 | 23 Best |
| Weather Extremes | 26 Best | 71 |
| Economic Strain | 35 | 26 Best |
| Going-Out Cost | 59 | 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 →