| Measure | LakewoodColorado, United States Remove Lakewood | ArvadaColorado, United States Remove Arvada | MiltonOntario, Canada Remove Milton | Rancho CucamongaCalifornia, United States Remove Rancho Cucamonga |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||||
| Overall score | 6.1 | 5.8 | 6.2 | 5.9 |
| Connector Score | 7.3 | 7.7 | 7.8 | 8.1 |
| Safety | 5.0 | 7.6 | 9.3 | 7.0 |
| Affordability | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3.1 |
| Transportation | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 6.5 |
| Car-free friendliness | 5.0 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 3.5 |
| Walkability | 8.1 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.3 |
| Things to do | 5.9 | 5.7 | 6.0 | 6.2 |
| Food & dining | 6.9 | 6.2 | 4.5 | 6.4 |
| Places to stay | 6.4 | 6.0 | 6.3 | 6.2 |
| Nature & outdoors | 5.5 | 5.5 | 8.5 | 5.0 |
| Scenic value | 6.8 | 6.8 | 8.3 | 6.5 |
| Family friendliness | 4.0 | 7.0 | 5.9 | 4.9 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.7 | 5.4 | 6.0 | 5.3 |
| Nightlife | 4.8 | 5.2 | 4.3 | 5.4 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.2 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 6.5 | 7.3 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 6.5 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||||
| Budget | $133 | $145 | $111 | $135 |
| Mid-range | $205 | $205 | $156 | $195 |
| Luxury | $373 | $355 | $147 | $325 |
| Living there | ||||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 115 | 120 | 120 | 135 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,750 | $1,800 | CA$2,200 | $2,250 |
| Median home price | $574,400 | $632,600 | CA$1,100,000 | $809,000 |
| Population | 157K | 123K | 133K | 178K |
| Getting there | ||||
| Accessible by | Drive | Drive Airport | Drive Airport Camping | Drive Bus Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — | — | — |
| Travel time from Lakewood | — | 14 min details | Far | Far |
| Character | ||||
| Best for | History | History | Outdoors, History, Skiing | History, Wine country |
| Known for | Mountains & hiking, Lakes & rivers, Historic sites, Food scene, Live music, Shopping | Mountains & hiking, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Wineries & breweries, Live music, Shopping, Family & kids | Beaches, Mountains & hiking, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Live music, Skiing & winter sports, Shopping | Mountains & hiking, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Wineries & breweries, Live music, Pro sports, Skiing & winter sports, Shopping |
| When to go | Peak: Summer and ski season weekends | Peak: June to September and around Red Rocks… | Peak: Summer and autumn | Peak: Roughly April to October and weekends w… |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.