Head to Head
Washington, DC vs Santa Barbara, CA
Washington leads with a Fun Score of 93, ahead by 13 points. Across 23 individual factors, Washington wins 12 and Santa Barbara wins 11.
- Factor wins — Washington
- 12 of 23
- Tied
- 0
- Factor wins — Santa Barbara
- 11 of 23
| Factor | Washington, DC | Santa Barbara, CA |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 86 | 88 Best |
| Drinks | 86 Best | 80 |
| Coffee | 88 | 89 Best |
| Live Music | 83 | 84 Best |
| Star Power | 91 Best | 41 |
| Outdoors | 77 Best | 63 |
| Culture | 76 | 80 Best |
| Events | 88 Best | 56 |
| Sports | 91 Best | 29 |
| Unique Hangouts | 66 Best | 39 |
| City Vibe | 54 Best | 6 |
| Climate | 65 | 88 Best |
| Transit Quality | 92 Best | 59 |
| Walkability | 86 Best | 15 |
| Higher Education | 44 | 62 Best |
| Bike & Micromobility | 90 Best | 83 |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 71 | 27 Best |
| Traffic | 88 | 8 Best |
| Air Quality | 35 | 17 Best |
| Disaster Risk | 52 Best | 73 |
| Weather Extremes | 32 | 4 Best |
| Economic Strain | 74 | 30 Best |
| Going-Out Cost | 35 Best | 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 →