Head to Head
Des Moines, IA vs Kansas City, MO
Des Moines leads with a Fun Score of 77, ahead by 1 point. Across 23 individual factors, Des Moines wins 14 and Kansas City wins 8, with 1 tied.
- Factor wins — Des Moines
- 14 of 23
- Tied
- 1
- Factor wins — Kansas City
- 8 of 23
| Factor | Des Moines, IA | Kansas City, MO |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 39 | 63 Best |
| Drinks | 80 Best | 73 |
| Coffee | 35 | 62 Best |
| Live Music | 87 Best | 83 |
| Star Power | 56 | 80 Best |
| Outdoors | 78 | 80 Best |
| Culture | 75 Best | 67 |
| Events | 85 Best | 70 |
| Sports | 86 Best | 78 |
| Unique Hangouts | 45 | 88 Best |
| City Vibe | 59 Best | 54 |
| Climate | 29 | 35 Best |
| Transit Quality | 26 | 54 Best |
| Walkability | 52 Best | 38 |
| Higher Education | 90 Best | 37 |
| Bike & Micromobility | 75 Best | 68 |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 61 Best | 88 |
| Traffic | 19 Best | 37 |
| Air Quality | 90 | 81 Best |
| Disaster Risk | 23 Best | 41 |
| Weather Extremes | 71 Best | 87 |
| Economic Strain | 26 Best | 27 |
| Going-Out Cost | 8 | 8 |
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 →