Methodology
How we measure livability
Every score has a source. Every source has a citation.
HabiBubble scores cities across 15 dimensions and 800+ metrics. The goal is never a single "best city" — it's helping you understand which cities fit your priorities, and why.
What makes this different
We produce a personalized analysis, not a generic ranking. Your results depend on your climate tolerance, budget, lifestyle priorities, and dealbreakers. Two people taking the same diagnostic get completely different rankings.
Behind every score is real data — satellite climate observations, government statistics, open geographic databases, and peer-reviewed datasets. We don't survey users or scrape reviews. We go to the source.
How scores work
Each dimension is scored independently using the best available data for that domain. Climate uses ERA5 satellite reanalysis. Air quality uses WHO and satellite measurements. Cost of living uses statistical office data. Scores are normalized so they're comparable across cities.
When you take the diagnostic, your priorities become weights. A city that's excellent on climate but weak on cost will rank high for someone who cares about weather — and low for someone watching their budget.
What you'll find here
Every metric documented — how it's computed, where the data comes from, and what it doesn't capture. We show our work, including the limitations. Browse the sidebar or start with one of the sections below.
See it in action
Take the diagnostic to see personalized city rankings, or browse the explore map to filter 29,000+ cities across 90+ features.