Head to Head
Boston, MA vs San Francisco, CA
Boston leads with a Fun Score of 99, ahead by 1 point. Across 23 individual factors, Boston wins 11 and San Francisco wins 11, with 1 tied.
- Factor wins — Boston
- 11 of 23
- Tied
- 1
- Factor wins — San Francisco
- 11 of 23
| Factor | Boston, MA | San Francisco, CA |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 78 | 90 Best |
| Drinks | 63 | 88 Best |
| Coffee | 85 | 91 Best |
| Live Music | 91 Best | 90 |
| Star Power | 91 | 91 |
| Outdoors | 58 Best | 32 |
| Culture | 74 Best | 65 |
| Events | 77 | 89 Best |
| Sports | 86 Best | 78 |
| Unique Hangouts | 58 | 90 Best |
| City Vibe | 88 Best | 84 |
| Climate | 35 | 92 Best |
| Transit Quality | 92 Best | 91 |
| Walkability | 91 | 93 Best |
| Higher Education | 87 Best | 10 |
| Bike & Micromobility | 72 | 86 Best |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 34 Best | 59 |
| Traffic | 88 Best | 89 |
| Air Quality | 20 | 13 Best |
| Disaster Risk | 26 Best | 78 |
| Weather Extremes | 26 | 1 Best |
| Economic Strain | 45 | 26 Best |
| Going-Out Cost | 59 Best | 82 |
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 →