| Measure | ChicagoIllinois, United States Remove Chicago | Jacksonville (FL)Florida, United States Remove Jacksonville (FL) | KenoshaWisconsin, United States Remove Kenosha | SackvilleNew Brunswick, Canada Remove Sackville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||||
| Overall score | 6.5 | 7.0 | 6.7 | 6.8 |
| Connector Score | 8.2 | 7.8 | 8.3 | 8.7 |
| Safety | 4.5 | 7.5 | 7.2 | 8.6 |
| Affordability | 5.7 | 6.7 | 7.2 | 7.6 |
| Transportation | 10.0 | 10.0 | 8.5 | 9.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 7.0 | 7.0 | 6.0 | 7.0 |
| Walkability | 5.8 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 7.0 |
| Things to do | 6.9 | 7.6 | 6.7 | 4.9 |
| Food & dining | 6.0 | 6.6 | 6.1 | 3.0 |
| Places to stay | 7.5 | 6.8 | 5.9 | 4.8 |
| Nature & outdoors | 3.5 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 7.5 |
| Scenic value | 4.8 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.3 |
| Family friendliness | 4.4 | 7.5 | 5.4 | 6.2 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 4.7 | 5.8 | 6.0 | 6.6 |
| Nightlife | 4.5 | 5.4 | 7.6 | 3.0 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 7.2 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 5.5 |
| Road-trip convenience | 7.5 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 7.3 |
| Train-trip convenience | 7.8 | 7.7 | 7.8 | 7.5 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 7.3 | 7.3 | 1.5 | 7.3 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||||
| Budget | $218 | $135 | $103 | $99 |
| Mid-range | $345 | $200 | $154 | $133 |
| Luxury | $665 | $370 | $252 | $120 |
| Living there | ||||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 108 | 98 | 93 | 89 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $2,100 | $1,400 | $1,150 | CA$1,100 |
| Median home price | $335,000 | $285,100 | $275,000 | CA$305,000 |
| Population | 2.7M | 1.0M | 99K | 6,099 |
| Getting there | ||||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Bus Airport EV charging | Drive Train Bus Airport EV charging | Drive Train Airport | Drive Train Bus Airport Camping |
| Car recommended | — | — | — | — |
| Travel time from Chicago | — | Far | 1 h details | Far |
| Character | ||||
| Best for | Road trips, Car-free travel | Road trips, Car-free travel, Families | Nightlife, Beaches | Car-free travel, Outdoors |
| Known for | Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Pro sports | Beaches, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Live music, Pro sports, Shopping, Family & kids | Beaches, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Nightlife, Live music, Shopping | Beaches, National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Live music, Shopping |
| When to go | — | Peak: Spring through summer at the beaches, p… | Peak: Summer and holiday shopping weekends | Peak: July to August and university move-in a… |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.