Head to Head
Des Moines, IA vs Austin, TX
Des Moines leads with a Fun Score of 77, ahead by 1 point. Across 23 individual factors, Des Moines wins 11 and Austin wins 12.
- Factor wins — Des Moines
- 11 of 23
- Tied
- 0
- Factor wins — Austin
- 12 of 23
| Factor | Des Moines, IA | Austin, TX |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 39 | 77 Best |
| Drinks | 80 Best | 77 |
| Coffee | 35 | 73 Best |
| Live Music | 87 Best | 75 |
| Star Power | 56 | 65 Best |
| Outdoors | 78 Best | 46 |
| Culture | 75 Best | 46 |
| Events | 85 Best | 68 |
| Sports | 86 Best | 58 |
| Unique Hangouts | 45 | 71 Best |
| City Vibe | 59 | 91 Best |
| Climate | 29 | 44 Best |
| Transit Quality | 26 | 59 Best |
| Walkability | 52 | 54 Best |
| Higher Education | 90 Best | 65 |
| Bike & Micromobility | 75 | 92 Best |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 61 Best | 65 |
| Traffic | 19 Best | 56 |
| Air Quality | 90 | 79 Best |
| Disaster Risk | 23 Best | 55 |
| Weather Extremes | 71 | 56 Best |
| Economic Strain | 26 | 20 Best |
| Going-Out Cost | 8 Best | 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 →