Head to Head
Des Moines, IA vs Buffalo, NY
Des Moines leads with a Fun Score of 77, ahead by 3 points. Across 23 individual factors, Des Moines wins 13 and Buffalo wins 10.
- Factor wins — Des Moines
- 13 of 23
- Tied
- 0
- Factor wins — Buffalo
- 10 of 23
| Factor | Des Moines, IA | Buffalo, NY |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 39 Best | 32 |
| Drinks | 80 Best | 78 |
| Coffee | 35 | 51 Best |
| Live Music | 87 Best | 85 |
| Star Power | 56 | 83 Best |
| Outdoors | 78 Best | 56 |
| Culture | 75 | 80 Best |
| Events | 85 | 89 Best |
| Sports | 86 Best | 71 |
| Unique Hangouts | 45 Best | 14 |
| City Vibe | 59 | 85 Best |
| Climate | 29 | 39 Best |
| Transit Quality | 26 | 88 Best |
| Walkability | 52 | 73 Best |
| Higher Education | 90 Best | 74 |
| Bike & Micromobility | 75 Best | 58 |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 61 Best | 74 |
| Traffic | 19 Best | 21 |
| Air Quality | 90 | 56 Best |
| Disaster Risk | 23 Best | 53 |
| Weather Extremes | 71 | 34 Best |
| Economic Strain | 26 Best | 90 |
| Going-Out Cost | 8 Best | 59 |
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 →