Head to Head
Scottsdale, AZ vs Mesa, AZ
Scottsdale leads with a Fun Score of 39, ahead by 4 points. Across 23 individual factors, Scottsdale wins 12 and Mesa wins 8, with 3 tied.
- Factor wins — Scottsdale
- 12 of 23
- Tied
- 3
- Factor wins — Mesa
- 8 of 23
| Factor | Scottsdale, AZ | Mesa, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 80 Best | 52 |
| Drinks | 50 Best | 23 |
| Coffee | 71 Best | 44 |
| Live Music | 38 Best | 15 |
| Star Power | 25 | 27 Best |
| Outdoors | 16 | 87 Best |
| Culture | 59 Best | 14 |
| Events | 14 Best | 8 |
| Sports | 39 Best | 23 |
| Unique Hangouts | 74 | 79 Best |
| City Vibe | 34 | 73 Best |
| Climate | 20 Best | 17 |
| Transit Quality | 8 | 20 Best |
| Walkability | 36 Best | 35 |
| Higher Education | 9 | 32 Best |
| Bike & Micromobility | 70 Best | 53 |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 20 | 14 Best |
| Traffic | 34 Best | 67 |
| Air Quality | 91 | 66 Best |
| Disaster Risk | 90 | 90 |
| Weather Extremes | 91 | 91 |
| Economic Strain | 11 Best | 28 |
| 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 →