Head to Head
Houston, TX vs Irving, TX
Houston leads with a Fun Score of 39, ahead by 19 points. Across 23 individual factors, Houston wins 16 and Irving wins 6, with 1 tied.
- Factor wins — Houston
- 16 of 23
- Tied
- 1
- Factor wins — Irving
- 6 of 23
| Factor | Houston, TX | Irving, TX |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 34 Best | 25 |
| Drinks | 40 Best | 3 |
| Coffee | 37 Best | 5 |
| Live Music | 46 Best | 38 |
| Star Power | 88 Best | 12 |
| Outdoors | 19 Best | 15 |
| Culture | 20 Best | 8 |
| Events | 70 | 90 Best |
| Sports | 73 Best | 4 |
| Unique Hangouts | 57 Best | 10 |
| City Vibe | 88 Best | 29 |
| Climate | 74 Best | 47 |
| Transit Quality | 70 Best | 33 |
| Walkability | 32 | 62 Best |
| Higher Education | 58 Best | 39 |
| Bike & Micromobility | 22 Best | 10 |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 83 | 22 Best |
| Traffic | 82 | 60 Best |
| Air Quality | 86 Best | 92 |
| Disaster Risk | 91 | 84 Best |
| Weather Extremes | 30 Best | 83 |
| Economic Strain | 85 | 31 Best |
| 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 →