Methodology Deep Dives
How we collect, score, and present data
City Rankings Explained: Why San Francisco Scores Lower Than Liberal, Kansas
An honest look at what a single ranking number can and can't tell you, worked out with the actual formula and two real, very different cities.
2026-08-18 · 7 min read
How WhereAtHome Compares Cities: Our Data, Scores, and Limitations
A plain-language walkthrough of the six weighted components, real city examples, and what changes when data is missing.
2026-08-18 · 8 min read
How to Compare City Crime Rates: The Seven WhereAtHome Safety Tiers
What Very Low through Very High actually mean, how FBI data becomes a tier, and why Naperville and Pittsburgh need a closer look.
2026-08-18 · 6 min read