How we collect, calculate, and display neighborhood quality scores
RateYourHood is a community-driven platform that aggregates subjective neighborhood ratings into a single 0–100 score for every area on the map. Residents and visitors rate neighborhoods across multiple quality-of-life categories, and those ratings are combined into an overall score that reflects the community's collective perception.
Every neighborhood receives a score from 0 to 100, where higher scores indicate better perceived quality. The score is a weighted average of individual category ratings submitted by the community.
Each rating is composed of multiple categories that capture different aspects of neighborhood quality. Raters score each category from 1 to 100.
Cleanliness of streets, sidewalks, and public spaces. Considers litter, waste, and general upkeep.
Air quality and odor conditions. Considers pollution, industrial smell, and overall freshness.
Visual appeal of the neighborhood. Considers architecture, greenery, and overall beauty.
Perceived safety and crime level. Considers theft, personal safety, and overall security.
Prevalence of scams and fraudulent activity. Considers tourist scams, price gouging, and fraud risk.
The overall score is a weighted average of category ratings. Weights differ based on whether a region-specific 4th category is present.
RateYourHood divides the map into hexagonal cells using Uber's H3 spatial indexing system. Each hexagon represents a distinct neighborhood area of roughly equal size.
Different regions face different quality-of-life concerns. Rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all model, RateYourHood includes a 4th rating category that is specific to each region:
Captures perceived safety, including crime prevalence, theft risk, and personal security. Higher scores indicate safer neighborhoods.
Captures the prevalence of scams and fraudulent activities, including tourist scams, price gouging, and deceptive practices. Higher scores indicate fewer scams.
Individual ratings are combined into a neighborhood score through the following process:
To maintain rating quality and discourage manipulation, RateYourHood uses several mechanisms:
Ratings are anonymous — individual submissions are never publicly linked to specific users. Only the aggregated neighborhood score and category averages are displayed. Profile pages show a user's rating history and points, but these are only visible to the user themselves and do not reveal the specific location of other raters.