| Measure | GainesvilleFlorida, United States Remove Gainesville | NormanOklahoma, United States Remove Norman | HamptonVirginia, United States Remove Hampton | AppletonWisconsin, United States Remove Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||||
| Overall score | 6.4 | 6.7 | 6.4 | 6.5 |
| Connector Score | 8.0 | 7.0 | 7.3 | 7.3 |
| Safety | 4.1 | 7.0 | 8.1 | 8.5 |
| Affordability | 6.7 | 7.2 | 7.0 | 7.2 |
| Transportation | 8.5 | 7.0 | 5.0 | 7.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 6.5 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 4.5 |
| Walkability | 8.4 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 4.5 |
| Things to do | 6.2 | 7.0 | 6.9 | 6.9 |
| Food & dining | 4.4 | 6.8 | 5.8 | 6.2 |
| Places to stay | 5.9 | 7.1 | 6.0 | 5.5 |
| Nature & outdoors | 5.5 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 5.0 |
| Scenic value | 6.3 | 5.5 | 7.8 | 6.0 |
| Family friendliness | 4.8 | 5.4 | 8.1 | 9.2 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.8 | 5.9 |
| Nightlife | 4.1 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 6.2 | 6.8 | 5.9 | 6.3 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 6.6 | 6.5 | 6.2 |
| Train-trip convenience | 1.0 | 5.7 | 1.0 | 6.9 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 8.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||||
| Budget | $105 | $102 | $107 | $103 |
| Mid-range | $163 | $153 | $153 | $155 |
| Luxury | $268 | $263 | $251 | $252 |
| Living there | ||||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 98 | 93 | 95 | 93 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,100 | $1,000 | $1,400 | $1,100 |
| Population | 149K | 131K | 137K | 75K |
| Getting there | ||||
| Accessible by | Drive Bus Airport | Drive Train Airport Camping | Drive Airport | Drive Train Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — | — | — |
| Travel time from Gainesville | — | Far | Far | Far |
| Character | ||||
| Best for | History, Live music | History | Families, Beaches, History | Families, Beaches, History |
| Known for | National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Live music, Pro sports, Shopping | National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Live music, Pro sports, Shopping | Beaches, National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, 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: Demand on UF home football weekends, gr… | — | Peak: Summer and fall event 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.