Head to Head
Des Moines, IA vs San Diego, CA
Des Moines leads with a Fun Score of 77, ahead by 3 points. Across 23 individual factors, Des Moines wins 11 and San Diego wins 11, with 1 tied.
- Factor wins — Des Moines
- 11 of 23
- Tied
- 1
- Factor wins — San Diego
- 11 of 23
| Factor | Des Moines, IA | San Diego, CA |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 39 | 71 Best |
| Drinks | 80 Best | 67 |
| Coffee | 35 | 78 Best |
| Live Music | 87 Best | 73 |
| Star Power | 56 | 86 Best |
| Outdoors | 78 Best | 33 |
| Culture | 75 Best | 43 |
| Events | 85 Best | 60 |
| Sports | 86 Best | 45 |
| Unique Hangouts | 45 | 69 Best |
| City Vibe | 59 | 88 Best |
| Climate | 29 | 87 Best |
| Transit Quality | 26 | 67 Best |
| Walkability | 52 | 52 |
| Higher Education | 90 Best | 70 |
| Bike & Micromobility | 75 | 85 Best |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 61 | 22 Best |
| Traffic | 19 Best | 55 |
| Air Quality | 90 | 81 Best |
| Disaster Risk | 23 Best | 86 |
| Weather Extremes | 71 | 35 Best |
| Economic Strain | 26 Best | 39 |
| Going-Out Cost | 8 Best | 82 |
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 →