Head to Head
Washington, DC vs Austin, TX
Washington leads with a Fun Score of 93, ahead by 19 points. Across 23 individual factors, Washington wins 16 and Austin wins 6, with 1 tied.
- Factor wins — Washington
- 16 of 23
- Tied
- 1
- Factor wins — Austin
- 6 of 23
| Factor | Washington, DC | Austin, TX |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 86 Best | 76 |
| Drinks | 86 Best | 77 |
| Coffee | 88 Best | 71 |
| Live Music | 83 Best | 73 |
| Star Power | 91 Best | 65 |
| Outdoors | 77 Best | 46 |
| Culture | 76 Best | 46 |
| Events | 88 Best | 77 |
| Sports | 91 Best | 37 |
| Unique Hangouts | 66 | 71 Best |
| City Vibe | 54 | 86 Best |
| Climate | 65 Best | 44 |
| Transit Quality | 92 Best | 59 |
| Walkability | 86 Best | 54 |
| Higher Education | 44 | 65 Best |
| Bike & Micromobility | 90 Best | 87 |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 71 | 65 Best |
| Traffic | 88 | 56 Best |
| Air Quality | 35 Best | 82 |
| Disaster Risk | 52 Best | 55 |
| Weather Extremes | 32 Best | 56 |
| Economic Strain | 74 | 17 Best |
| Going-Out Cost | 35 | 35 |
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 →