Head to Head
Santa Barbara, CA vs Long Beach, CA
Santa Barbara leads with a Fun Score of 80, ahead by 47 points. Across 23 individual factors, Santa Barbara wins 16 and Long Beach wins 6, with 1 tied.
- Factor wins — Santa Barbara
- 16 of 23
- Tied
- 1
- Factor wins — Long Beach
- 6 of 23
| Factor | Santa Barbara, CA | Long Beach, CA |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 88 Best | 37 |
| Drinks | 80 Best | 37 |
| Coffee | 89 Best | 56 |
| Live Music | 84 Best | 31 |
| Star Power | 41 | 71 Best |
| Outdoors | 63 Best | 4 |
| Culture | 80 Best | 33 |
| Events | 56 | 61 Best |
| Sports | 29 Best | 11 |
| Unique Hangouts | 39 Best | 9 |
| City Vibe | 6 | 79 Best |
| Climate | 88 | 92 Best |
| Transit Quality | 59 | 74 Best |
| Walkability | 15 | 35 Best |
| Higher Education | 62 Best | 52 |
| Bike & Micromobility | 83 Best | 44 |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 27 Best | 52 |
| Traffic | 8 Best | 88 |
| Air Quality | 17 Best | 38 |
| Disaster Risk | 73 Best | 92 |
| Weather Extremes | 4 Best | 22 |
| Economic Strain | 30 Best | 84 |
| 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 →