| Measure | Fort WayneIndiana, United States Remove Fort Wayne | EvanstonIllinois, United States Remove Evanston |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 7.6 | 6.1 |
| Connector Score | 9.1 | 7.6 |
| Safety | 8.6 | 7.0 |
| Affordability | 7.4 | 4.2 |
| Transportation | 10.0 | 8.5 |
| Car-free friendliness | 8.5 | 6.0 |
| Walkability | 8.1 | 5.4 |
| Things to do | 6.7 | 5.4 |
| Food & dining | 6.4 | 5.9 |
| Places to stay | 6.2 | 5.7 |
| Nature & outdoors | 5.5 | 5.0 |
| Scenic value | 6.3 | 6.3 |
| Family friendliness | 7.2 | 5.4 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 6.9 | 5.2 |
| Nightlife | 3.9 | 3.5 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 6.2 | 5.8 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 8.8 | 7.8 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 8.0 | 1.5 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $38 | $143 |
| Mid-range | $63 | $205 |
| Luxury | $98 | $327 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 91 | 123 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,025 | $1,800 |
| Median home price | $242,000 | $481,200 |
| Population | 275K | 76K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Bus Airport | Drive Train Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Fort Wayne | — | 3 h 30 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | Car-free travel | Beaches |
| Known for | Mountains & hiking, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Shopping, Family & kids | Beaches, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Shopping |
| When to go | Peak: In summer festival weekends and Septemb… | Peak: Northwestern graduation, move-in and fo… |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.