| Measure | GarlandTexas, United States Remove Garland | Lee’s SummitMissouri, United States Remove Lee’s Summit | PocatelloIdaho, United States Remove Pocatello | ArvadaColorado, United States Remove Arvada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||||
| Overall score | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.0 | 5.8 |
| Connector Score | 8.5 | 8.2 | 6.4 | 7.7 |
| Safety | 8.2 | 8.5 | 7.6 | 7.6 |
| Affordability | 6.5 | 6.1 | 7.2 | 4.5 |
| Transportation | 8.5 | 8.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 6.0 | 6.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| Walkability | 5.2 | 5.0 | 3.9 | 4.2 |
| Things to do | 5.9 | 5.5 | 6.8 | 5.7 |
| Food & dining | 6.1 | 5.7 | 5.6 | 6.2 |
| Places to stay | 6.3 | 5.9 | 5.4 | 6.0 |
| Nature & outdoors | 3.5 | 5.5 | 6.5 | 5.5 |
| Scenic value | 4.5 | 6.0 | 6.8 | 6.8 |
| Family friendliness | 6.6 | 5.2 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.6 | 5.4 |
| Nightlife | 5.0 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 5.2 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 6.0 | 5.2 | 5.7 | 5.4 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.2 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 7.8 | 7.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 1.5 | 6.8 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||||
| Budget | $99 | $102 | $88 | $145 |
| Mid-range | $149 | $150 | $135 | $205 |
| Luxury | $263 | $246 | $223 | $355 |
| Living there | ||||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 100 | 104 | 93 | 120 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,300 | $1,300 | $925 | $1,800 |
| Median home price | $299,750 | $410,000 | $300,000 | $632,600 |
| Population | 250K | 108K | 59K | 123K |
| Getting there | ||||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Airport | Drive Train Bus | Drive Airport | Drive Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — | — | — |
| Travel time from Garland | — | 10 h 15 min details | Far | Far |
| Character | ||||
| Best for | History | History | History, Skiing | History |
| Known for | Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Theme & amusement parks, Food scene, Live music, Shopping | Mountains & hiking, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Live music, Shopping | Mountains & hiking, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Live music, Pro sports, Skiing & winter sports, Shopping, Family & kids | Mountains & hiking, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Wineries & breweries, Live music, Shopping, Family & kids |
| When to go | Peak: Spring and fall | Peak: Spring to fall | Peak: Summer and ISU graduation and football… | Peak: June to September and around Red Rocks… |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.