| Measure | RaleighNorth Carolina, United States Remove Raleigh | IndianapolisIndiana, United States Remove Indianapolis | Little RockArkansas, United States Remove Little Rock | TallahasseeFlorida, United States Remove Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||||
| Overall score | 7.3 | 7.1 | 6.3 | 6.1 |
| Connector Score | 8.4 | 8.4 | 5.8 | 6.1 |
| Safety | 6.3 | 3.2 | 1.3 | 5.6 |
| Affordability | 6.2 | 7.2 | 6.9 | 6.7 |
| Transportation | 10.0 | 10.0 | 8.5 | 6.5 |
| Car-free friendliness | 8.5 | 8.5 | 6.5 | 3.5 |
| Walkability | 8.3 | 8.4 | 8.0 | 4.8 |
| Things to do | 7.0 | 7.6 | 6.8 | 6.6 |
| Food & dining | 6.9 | 7.0 | 6.3 | 5.8 |
| Places to stay | 6.7 | 6.8 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| Nature & outdoors | 5.5 | 5.5 | 7.5 | 7.0 |
| Scenic value | 5.5 | 5.0 | 8.5 | 7.0 |
| Family friendliness | 5.3 | 6.6 | 6.3 | 5.6 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 6.8 | 6.0 | 5.2 | 5.0 |
| Nightlife | 8.3 | 8.4 | 6.8 | 4.8 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 6.2 | 6.4 | 5.9 | 6.3 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.8 | 6.0 |
| Train-trip convenience | 8.8 | 8.7 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 8.0 | 8.0 | 7.8 | 6.3 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||||
| Budget | $174 | $128 | $114 | $115 |
| Mid-range | $278 | $193 | $174 | $178 |
| Luxury | $533 | $340 | $307 | $294 |
| Living there | ||||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 103 | 93 | 96 | 98 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,209 | $1,300 | $970 | $1,350 |
| Median home price | $485,000 | $260,000 | $295,800 | $294,400 |
| Population | 503K | 901K | 206K | 205K |
| Getting there | ||||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Bus Airport | Drive Train Bus Airport | Drive Bus Airport | Drive Bus Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — | — | — |
| Travel time from Raleigh | — | 11 h 42 min details | Far | 11 h 36 min details |
| Character | ||||
| Best for | Car-free travel, Nightlife, History | Car-free travel, Food lovers, Nightlife | Outdoors, History | Beaches, History |
| Known for | National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Nightlife, Live music | National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Nightlife, Live music, Pro sports, Family & kids | Mountains & hiking, National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Nightlife, Shopping, Family & kids | Beaches, National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Live music, Pro sports |
| When to go | — | Peak: Indy 500, Gen Con, Big Ten events, NCAA… | Peak: Riverfest weekend, Arkansas State Fair… | Peak: FSU football home weekends, graduation… |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.