Head to Head
Portland, ME vs Boston, MA
Portland leads with a Fun Score of 100, ahead by 2 points. Across 23 individual factors, Portland wins 13 and Boston wins 9, with 1 tied.
- Factor wins — Portland
- 13 of 23
- Tied
- 1
- Factor wins — Boston
- 9 of 23
| Factor | Portland, ME | Boston, MA |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 89 Best | 78 |
| Drinks | 91 Best | 63 |
| Coffee | 86 Best | 85 |
| Live Music | 87 | 92 Best |
| Star Power | 44 | 91 Best |
| Outdoors | 89 Best | 58 |
| Culture | 91 Best | 74 |
| Events | 82 Best | 79 |
| Sports | 92 Best | 65 |
| Unique Hangouts | 89 Best | 58 |
| City Vibe | 92 Best | 88 |
| Climate | 28 | 35 Best |
| Transit Quality | 66 | 92 Best |
| Walkability | 89 | 91 Best |
| Higher Education | 8 | 87 Best |
| Bike & Micromobility | 29 | 72 Best |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 26 Best | 34 |
| Traffic | 17 Best | 88 |
| Air Quality | 25 | 20 Best |
| Disaster Risk | 5 Best | 26 |
| Weather Extremes | 42 | 26 Best |
| Economic Strain | 3 Best | 45 |
| Going-Out Cost | 59 | 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 →