Head to Head
Burlington, VT vs Des Moines, IA
Burlington leads with a Fun Score of 84, ahead by 7 points. Across 23 individual factors, Burlington wins 13 and Des Moines wins 10.
- Factor wins — Burlington
- 13 of 23
- Tied
- 0
- Factor wins — Des Moines
- 10 of 23
| Factor | Burlington, VT | Des Moines, IA |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 83 Best | 39 |
| Drinks | 90 Best | 80 |
| Coffee | 86 Best | 35 |
| Live Music | 60 | 87 Best |
| Star Power | 26 | 56 Best |
| Outdoors | 85 Best | 78 |
| Culture | 88 Best | 75 |
| Events | 66 | 85 Best |
| Sports | 34 | 86 Best |
| Unique Hangouts | 90 Best | 45 |
| City Vibe | 35 | 59 Best |
| Climate | 24 | 29 Best |
| Transit Quality | 79 Best | 26 |
| Walkability | 71 Best | 52 |
| Higher Education | 91 Best | 90 |
| Bike & Micromobility | 62 | 75 Best |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 79 | 61 Best |
| Traffic | 14 Best | 19 |
| Air Quality | 31 Best | 90 |
| Disaster Risk | 4 Best | 23 |
| Weather Extremes | 46 Best | 71 |
| Economic Strain | 47 | 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 →