Chicago vs Los Angeles
Not opinions, measured walking data. On what we can measure, Los Angeles leads 3–1 (1 within the tie margin). Character is a different question: Chicago is the city rebuilt after the fire; Los Angeles is the city of stars on the pavement.
Change the matchup
Places with a story
spots where a route tells you what happened there
Chicago
94
Los Angeles
52
Chicago leads
How often you pass a story
metres from one story to the next; fewer is better
Chicago
293
Los Angeles
290
Tie
Historical figures
real people you meet in its stories
Chicago
11
Los Angeles
13
Los Angeles leads
Instagrammability
score /100, on the index’s fixed scale
Chicago
37
Los Angeles
73
Los Angeles leads
Group outings
of every 100 plays, how many bring a group of 3+
Chicago
22
Los Angeles
24
Los Angeles leads
International visitors
% of player reviews written in a foreign language
Chicago
2
Los Angeles
-
Chicago leads
| What we measure | Chicago | Los Angeles | Leads |
|---|---|---|---|
| Places with a storyspots where a route tells you what happened there | 94 | 52 | Chicago |
| How often you pass a storymetres from one story to the next; fewer is better | 293 | 290 | tie |
| Historical figuresreal people you meet in its stories | 11 | 13 | Los Angeles |
| Instagrammabilityscore /100, on the index’s fixed scale | 37 | 73 | Los Angeles |
| Group outingsof every 100 plays, how many bring a group of 3+ | 22 | 24 | Los Angeles |
| International visitors% of player reviews written in a foreign language | 2 | - | Chicago |
Differences under 5% count as ties. Sample sizes and definitions on the methodology page.
What their stories are about
How many places with a story each city has per theme: Chicago in orange, Los Angeles in blue. All bars share one scale, so lengths are comparable everywhere on the chart.
Chicago scorecard
The city rebuilt after the fire
Los Angeles scorecard
The city of stars on the pavement
