| Measure | Lancaster (CA)California, United States Remove Lancaster (CA) | AthensGeorgia, United States Remove Athens | VictorvilleCalifornia, United States Remove Victorville | Las CrucesNew Mexico, United States Remove Las Cruces |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||||
| Overall score | 5.6 | 5.5 | 6.6 | 5.8 |
| Connector Score | 7.8 | 6.0 | 8.8 | 5.4 |
| Safety | 7.0 | 6.7 | 7.0 | 4.2 |
| Affordability | 6.2 | 5.8 | 5.7 | 7.2 |
| Transportation | 4.5 | 6.0 | 8.5 | 6.5 |
| Car-free friendliness | 3.0 | 4.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| Walkability | 4.3 | 5.4 | 4.3 | 5.4 |
| Things to do | 6.2 | 6.1 | 6.3 | 6.1 |
| Food & dining | 6.9 | 6.0 | 6.3 | 5.8 |
| Places to stay | 5.9 | 5.3 | 6.3 | 6.0 |
| Nature & outdoors | 2.0 | 2.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| Scenic value | 3.8 | 3.0 | 7.5 | 8.0 |
| Family friendliness | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.8 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.3 | 5.7 | 5.4 | 4.5 |
| Nightlife | 3.9 | 7.6 | 4.3 | 3.5 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 5.7 | 5.5 | 5.7 | 6.1 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 6.2 | 7.3 | 5.2 |
| Train-trip convenience | 1.0 | 1.0 | 7.0 | 5.7 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 6.5 | 7.3 | 6.5 | 1.5 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||||
| Budget | $103 | $70 | $93 | $98 |
| Mid-range | $150 | $178 | $138 | $150 |
| Luxury | $143 | $294 | $130 | $258 |
| Living there | ||||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 103 | 107 | 108 | 93 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,650 | $1,250 | $1,600 | $975 |
| Population | 170K | 129K | 141K | 117K |
| Getting there | ||||
| Accessible by | Drive Bus | Drive Bus | Drive Train Bus Airport Camping | Drive Train |
| Car recommended | — | — | — | — |
| Travel time from Lancaster (CA) | — | Far | 1 h details | Far |
| Character | ||||
| Best for | — | Nightlife, Live music | — | History, Wine country |
| Known for | Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Pro sports, Shopping | Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Nightlife, Live music, Pro sports, Shopping | Mountains & hiking, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Wineries & breweries, Shopping | Mountains & hiking, National & state parks, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Wineries & breweries, Shopping |
| When to go | Peak: Spring for poppy bloom and August to Se… | Peak: UGA home football weekends, graduation… | Peak: Holiday weekends for travelers on the I… | Peak: Oct-Nov, NMSU graduation/football weeke… |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.