The short answers. For the full method, see How it works.
Is BuildingsScore free?
Yes — completely free, with no account or sign-up. Click the map or search an address and read the score.
What do the stars mean?
The big number is an overall livability rating from 0.0 to 5.0 (in 0.1 steps). It's a weighted blend of seven dimensions — Convenience, Transit, Quiet, Environment, Nature, Safety and Air quality — each also scored 0–5 and shown below the total.
How accurate is it?
It's designed to be a fast, consistent way to compare locations, not a final verdict. Most signals come from real map data; a few (flood, flight noise outside Europe) are honest approximations. Always visit a place in person before making a decision.
Why did it say "that's not a building"?
When you tap the map, BuildingsScore checks the point against OpenStreetMap building footprints so the score reflects a real address. If you tapped a road, park or empty lot, it asks you to tap an actual building instead. Address searches are scored as-is.
Which areas does it cover?
The map, places, transit, parks and roads work essentially worldwide. Live air quality covers most regions. Real modeled noise decibel data — covering aircraft, road, rail and industrial noise — currently spans 24 European countries. Outside them, all four fall back to a proximity estimate from the map — how close you are to a busy road, a railway, an industrial zone or an airport.
Why is air quality sometimes missing?
Air quality depends on a live data feed that isn't available for every location or every mode of the app. When it's missing, BuildingsScore simply leaves it out and re-balances the remaining dimensions, so the overall rating stays fair.
How are noise and flood risk worked out?
In 24 EU countries, aircraft, road, rail and industrial noise use official modeled decibel contours — and you can see the colored dB bands on the map by tapping a noise category. Outside that coverage, all four fall back to how close you are on the map to a busy road, a railway, an industrial zone or an airport (the airport-distance proxy for flight being the roughest). Flood risk is estimated from low elevation plus closeness to water. All are explained on the Data sources page.
Does it use crime data?
Not yet. We're currently sourcing a reliable crime dataset and plan to add it to the scoring in future. For now, "Safety" reflects nearby emergency services (police, fire, hospital).
What data do you collect about me?
Very little — there's no account. We process the location you select to fetch its surroundings, and briefly use your IP address to prevent abuse. Full detail is in our privacy policy.
Can I compare places side by side?
Yes. Score a spot, add it to the comparison tray, and line up to four places at once to see their overall ratings and every dimension side by side — handy when you're weighing a shortlist of addresses.
Why do two nearby spots score differently?
Because closeness is everything. A home next to the park, the tram and the shops scores very differently from one the same distance from a motorway and a rail line — even on the same street. Open a dimension to see the exact places (and distances) behind it.
Are the ads on this site related to my search?
BuildingsScore shows ads to stay free. Some may be tailored to your location or interests by our advertising partners; you can control personalized ads as described in our privacy & advertising policy.
Who made BuildingsScore, and how do I get in touch?
BuildingsScore is an independent project. For questions, corrections or feedback, email [email protected].
