Head to Head
Portland, ME vs Des Moines, IA
Portland leads with a Fun Score of 100, ahead by 23 points. Across 23 individual factors, Portland wins 16 and Des Moines wins 7.
- Factor wins — Portland
- 16 of 23
- Tied
- 0
- Factor wins — Des Moines
- 7 of 23
| Factor | Portland, ME | Des Moines, IA |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 89 Best | 39 |
| Drinks | 91 Best | 80 |
| Coffee | 86 Best | 35 |
| Live Music | 82 | 87 Best |
| Star Power | 44 | 56 Best |
| Outdoors | 89 Best | 78 |
| Culture | 91 Best | 75 |
| Events | 86 Best | 85 |
| Sports | 92 Best | 86 |
| Unique Hangouts | 84 Best | 45 |
| City Vibe | 11 | 59 Best |
| Climate | 28 | 29 Best |
| Transit Quality | 66 Best | 26 |
| Walkability | 89 Best | 52 |
| Higher Education | 8 | 90 Best |
| Bike & Micromobility | 29 | 75 Best |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 26 Best | 61 |
| Traffic | 17 Best | 19 |
| Air Quality | 28 Best | 90 |
| Disaster Risk | 5 Best | 23 |
| Weather Extremes | 42 Best | 71 |
| Economic Strain | 5 Best | 26 |
| Going-Out Cost | 59 | 8 Best |
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 →