Head to Head
Santa Barbara, CA vs Austin, TX
Santa Barbara leads with a Fun Score of 80, ahead by 6 points. Across 23 individual factors, Santa Barbara wins 11 and Austin wins 11, with 1 tied.
- Factor wins — Santa Barbara
- 11 of 23
- Tied
- 1
- Factor wins — Austin
- 11 of 23
| Factor | Santa Barbara, CA | Austin, TX |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 88 Best | 76 |
| Drinks | 80 Best | 77 |
| Coffee | 89 Best | 71 |
| Live Music | 84 Best | 73 |
| Star Power | 41 | 65 Best |
| Outdoors | 63 Best | 46 |
| Culture | 80 Best | 46 |
| Events | 56 | 77 Best |
| Sports | 29 | 37 Best |
| Unique Hangouts | 39 | 71 Best |
| City Vibe | 6 | 86 Best |
| Climate | 88 Best | 44 |
| Transit Quality | 59 | 59 |
| Walkability | 15 | 54 Best |
| Higher Education | 62 | 65 Best |
| Bike & Micromobility | 83 | 87 Best |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 27 Best | 65 |
| Traffic | 8 Best | 56 |
| Air Quality | 17 Best | 82 |
| Disaster Risk | 73 | 55 Best |
| Weather Extremes | 4 Best | 56 |
| Economic Strain | 30 | 17 Best |
| Going-Out Cost | 82 | 35 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 →