| Measure | OlatheKansas, United States Remove Olathe | ArvadaColorado, United States Remove Arvada | Elk GroveCalifornia, United States Remove Elk Grove | AppletonWisconsin, United States Remove Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||||
| Overall score | 6.3 | 5.8 | 6.2 | 6.5 |
| Connector Score | 7.4 | 7.7 | 8.7 | 7.3 |
| Safety | 8.5 | 7.6 | 7.0 | 8.5 |
| Affordability | 6.2 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 7.2 |
| Transportation | 6.5 | 5.0 | 10.0 | 7.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 5.5 | 2.5 | 7.0 | 4.5 |
| Walkability | 5.0 | 4.2 | 5.1 | 4.5 |
| Things to do | 6.4 | 5.7 | 5.9 | 6.9 |
| Food & dining | 5.1 | 6.2 | 5.2 | 6.2 |
| Places to stay | 6.1 | 6.0 | 6.2 | 5.5 |
| Nature & outdoors | 5.5 | 5.5 | 3.5 | 5.0 |
| Scenic value | 6.0 | 6.8 | 4.5 | 6.0 |
| Family friendliness | 7.2 | 7.0 | 6.9 | 9.2 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.8 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 5.9 |
| Nightlife | 3.8 | 5.2 | 4.9 | 4.8 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 5.3 | 5.4 | 5.5 | 6.3 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.2 |
| Train-trip convenience | 7.8 | 1.0 | 7.8 | 6.9 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 1.5 | 1.5 | 7.3 | 1.5 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||||
| Budget | $102 | $145 | $119 | $103 |
| Mid-range | $150 | $205 | $177 | $155 |
| Luxury | $246 | $355 | $299 | $252 |
| Living there | ||||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 103 | 120 | 120 | 93 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,350 | $1,800 | $1,950 | $1,100 |
| Median home price | $400,000 | $632,600 | $630,000 | $285,000 |
| Population | 150K | 123K | 185K | 75K |
| Getting there | ||||
| Accessible by | Drive Train | Drive Airport | Drive Train Bus Airport | Drive Train Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — | — | — |
| Travel time from Olathe | — | 13 h 4 min details | Far | 11 h 46 min details |
| Character | ||||
| Best for | History | History | Car-free travel, History | Families, Beaches, History |
| Known for | Mountains & hiking, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Wineries & breweries, Shopping, Family & kids | Mountains & hiking, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Wineries & breweries, Live music, Shopping, Family & kids | Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Wineries & breweries, Live music, Shopping, Family & kids | Beaches, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Theme & amusement parks, Food scene, Wineries & breweries, Live music, Pro sports, Shopping, Family & kids |
| When to go | Peak: Spring to fall | Peak: June to September and around Red Rocks… | Peak: Spring through fall and rodeo weekends | Peak: Mile of Music, EAA AirVenture in Oshkos… |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.