| Measure | ChicagoIllinois, United States Remove Chicago | Iowa CityIowa, United States Remove Iowa City |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 6.5 | 5.8 |
| Connector Score | 8.2 | 5.5 |
| Safety | 4.5 | 8.1 |
| Affordability | 5.7 | 7.0 |
| Transportation | 10.0 | 5.5 |
| Car-free friendliness | 7.0 | 4.0 |
| Walkability | 5.8 | 7.0 |
| Things to do | 6.9 | 5.7 |
| Food & dining | 6.0 | 4.5 |
| Places to stay | 7.5 | 5.5 |
| Nature & outdoors | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Scenic value | 4.8 | 4.0 |
| Family friendliness | 4.4 | 5.1 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 4.7 | 7.1 |
| Nightlife | 4.5 | 6.8 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 7.2 | 6.1 |
| Road-trip convenience | 7.5 | 5.8 |
| Train-trip convenience | 7.8 | 1.0 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 7.3 | 1.5 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $218 | $98 |
| Mid-range | $345 | $150 |
| Luxury | $665 | $256 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 108 | 95 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $2,100 | $1,150 |
| Median home price | $335,000 | $285,900 |
| Population | 2.7M | 76K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Bus Airport EV charging | Drive Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Chicago | — | 3 h 20 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | Road trips, Car-free travel | — |
| Known for | Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Pro sports | Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Nightlife, Live music, Pro sports, Shopping |
| When to go | — | — |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.