Head to Head
Boston, MA vs Washington, DC
Boston leads with a Fun Score of 98, ahead by 5 points. Across 23 individual factors, Boston wins 9 and Washington wins 11, with 3 tied.
- Factor wins — Boston
- 9 of 23
- Tied
- 3
- Factor wins — Washington
- 11 of 23
| Factor | Boston, MA | Washington, DC |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 78 | 86 Best |
| Drinks | 63 | 86 Best |
| Coffee | 85 | 88 Best |
| Live Music | 92 Best | 83 |
| Star Power | 91 | 91 |
| Outdoors | 58 | 77 Best |
| Culture | 74 | 76 Best |
| Events | 79 | 88 Best |
| Sports | 65 | 91 Best |
| Unique Hangouts | 58 | 66 Best |
| City Vibe | 88 Best | 54 |
| Climate | 35 | 65 Best |
| Transit Quality | 92 | 92 |
| Walkability | 91 Best | 86 |
| Higher Education | 87 Best | 44 |
| Bike & Micromobility | 72 | 90 Best |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 34 Best | 71 |
| Traffic | 88 | 88 |
| Air Quality | 20 Best | 35 |
| Disaster Risk | 26 Best | 52 |
| Weather Extremes | 26 Best | 32 |
| Economic Strain | 45 Best | 74 |
| Going-Out Cost | 59 | 35 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 →