Head to Head
San Jose, CA vs Irvine, CA
San Jose leads with a Fun Score of 64, ahead by 1 point. Across 22 individual factors, San Jose wins 12 and Irvine wins 9, with 1 tied.
- Factor wins — San Jose
- 12 of 22
- Tied
- 1
- Factor wins — Irvine
- 9 of 22
| Factor | San Jose, CA | Irvine, CA |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 53 Best | 28 |
| Drinks | 30 Best | 4 |
| Coffee | 65 Best | 60 |
| Live Music | 37 Best | 8 |
| Star Power | 62 Best | 20 |
| Outdoors | 51 | 82 Best |
| Culture | 29 | 38 Best |
| Events | 57 | 84 Best |
| Sports | 58 | 71 Best |
| Unique Hangouts | 59 Best | 38 |
| City Vibe | 92 Best | 85 |
| Climate | 88 | 91 Best |
| Transit Quality | 64 Best | 37 |
| Walkability | 75 | 78 Best |
| Higher Education | 35 | 83 Best |
| Bike & Micromobility | 89 Best | 68 |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 46 | 3 Best |
| Traffic | 83 | 66 Best |
| Air Quality | 43 | Placeholder |
| Disaster Risk | 86 Best | 88 |
| Weather Extremes | 6 Best | 18 |
| Economic Strain | 26 Best | 32 |
| Going-Out Cost | 82 | 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 →