Head to Head
Charleston, SC vs Washington, DC
Charleston leads with a Fun Score of 96, ahead by 7 points. Across 23 individual factors, Charleston wins 10 and Washington wins 10, with 3 tied.
- Factor wins — Charleston
- 10 of 23
- Tied
- 3
- Factor wins — Washington
- 10 of 23
| Factor | Charleston, SC | Washington, DC |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 86 | 86 |
| Drinks | 86 | 86 |
| Coffee | 81 | 88 Best |
| Live Music | 76 | 88 Best |
| Star Power | 65 | 91 Best |
| Outdoors | 75 | 77 Best |
| Culture | 90 Best | 76 |
| Events | 80 | 90 Best |
| Sports | 91 Best | 90 |
| Unique Hangouts | 72 Best | 61 |
| City Vibe | 83 Best | 56 |
| Climate | 80 Best | 65 |
| Transit Quality | 22 | 92 Best |
| Walkability | 37 | 86 Best |
| Higher Education | 80 Best | 44 |
| Bike & Micromobility | 12 | 90 Best |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 20 Best | 71 |
| Traffic | 62 Best | 88 |
| Air Quality | 31 Best | 92 |
| Disaster Risk | 67 | 52 Best |
| Weather Extremes | 56 | 32 Best |
| Economic Strain | 14 Best | 73 |
| 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 →