Head to Head
Santa Barbara, CA vs Des Moines, IA
Santa Barbara leads with a Fun Score of 78, ahead by 1 point. Across 22 individual factors, Santa Barbara wins 11 and Des Moines wins 11.
- Factor wins — Santa Barbara
- 11 of 22
- Tied
- 0
- Factor wins — Des Moines
- 11 of 22
| Factor | Santa Barbara, CA | Des Moines, IA |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 88 Best | 39 |
| Drinks | 79 | 80 Best |
| Coffee | 89 Best | 35 |
| Live Music | 88 Best | 87 |
| Star Power | 41 | 56 Best |
| Outdoors | 63 | 78 Best |
| Culture | 80 Best | 75 |
| Events | 58 | 85 Best |
| Sports | 28 | 86 Best |
| Unique Hangouts | 50 Best | 45 |
| City Vibe | 7 | 59 Best |
| Climate | 88 Best | 29 |
| Transit Quality | 59 Best | 26 |
| Walkability | 15 | 52 Best |
| Higher Education | 62 | 90 Best |
| Bike & Micromobility | 81 Best | 75 |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 28 Best | 61 |
| Traffic | 8 Best | 19 |
| Air Quality | Placeholder | 90 |
| Disaster Risk | 73 | 23 Best |
| Weather Extremes | 4 Best | 71 |
| Economic Strain | 33 | 26 Best |
| Going-Out Cost | 82 | 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 →