| Measure | MadisonWisconsin, United States Remove Madison | Columbus (OH)Ohio, United States Remove Columbus (OH) | LincolnNebraska, United States Remove Lincoln | OlympiaWashington, United States Remove Olympia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||||
| Overall score | 6.5 | 6.4 | 6.7 | 6.0 |
| Connector Score | 8.4 | 6.5 | 6.2 | 7.9 |
| Safety | 8.0 | 6.4 | 7.2 | 9.0 |
| Affordability | 6.1 | 6.8 | 7.2 | 5.5 |
| Transportation | 10.0 | 8.0 | 10.0 | 6.5 |
| Car-free friendliness | 7.0 | 5.0 | 8.5 | 5.5 |
| Walkability | 5.6 | 5.4 | 8.6 | 5.2 |
| Things to do | 5.8 | 7.3 | 6.5 | 5.5 |
| Food & dining | 4.7 | 5.3 | 4.7 | 3.9 |
| Places to stay | 6.2 | 6.8 | 6.2 | 5.4 |
| Nature & outdoors | 3.5 | 5.5 | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| Scenic value | 4.8 | 6.3 | 4.0 | 5.5 |
| Family friendliness | 6.6 | 6.8 | 7.4 | 7.8 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.6 | 5.4 | 6.5 | 5.8 |
| Nightlife | 3.4 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 2.7 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 6.3 | 6.9 | 6.6 | 5.2 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 6.4 | 5.6 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 7.8 | 1.0 | 7.9 | 7.8 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 7.1 | 7.3 | 7.2 | 1.5 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||||
| Budget | $135 | $130 | $103 | $138 |
| Mid-range | $210 | $190 | $150 | $203 |
| Luxury | $360 | $337 | $240 | $325 |
| Living there | ||||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 104 | 97 | 93 | 110 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,470 | $1,350 | $1,182 | $1,650 |
| Median home price | $448,000 | $247,000 | $316,790 | $486,200 |
| Population | 286K | 938K | 302K | 57K |
| Getting there | ||||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Bus Airport | Drive Bus Airport | Drive Train Bus Airport | Drive Train |
| Car recommended | — | — | — | — |
| Travel time from Madison | — | 9 h 20 min details | 9 h 38 min details | Far |
| Character | ||||
| Best for | Car-free travel | — | Car-free travel | Families |
| Known for | Lakes & rivers, Historic sites, Shopping, Family & kids | Mountains & hiking, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Live music, Pro sports, Shopping, Family & kids | National & state parks, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Live music, Pro sports, Shopping, Family & kids | Beaches, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Shopping, Family & kids |
| When to go | Peak: UW graduation and football home weekend… | Peak: Demand on Ohio State home football week… | — | Peak: July-August and legislative session mid… |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.