| Measure | AbileneTexas, United States Remove Abilene | MercedCalifornia, United States Remove Merced | LawrenceKansas, United States Remove Lawrence | CambridgeMassachusetts, United States Remove Cambridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||||
| Overall score | 6.0 | 6.6 | 6.0 | 5.9 |
| Connector Score | 6.3 | 8.5 | 7.9 | 8.4 |
| Safety | 5.0 | 7.0 | 6.2 | 8.1 |
| Affordability | 10.0 | 8.5 | 7.8 | 1.7 |
| Transportation | 5.0 | 7.0 | 5.0 | 8.5 |
| Car-free friendliness | 2.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 6.0 |
| Walkability | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 5.5 |
| Things to do | 6.2 | 6.3 | 6.4 | 6.0 |
| Food & dining | 5.5 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.7 |
| Places to stay | 5.8 | 5.7 | 5.1 | 6.0 |
| Nature & outdoors | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 3.5 |
| Scenic value | 5.0 | 5.5 | 5.0 | 4.5 |
| Family friendliness | 7.0 | 7.4 | 5.2 | 7.1 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 4.7 | 5.4 | 5.6 | 5.6 |
| Nightlife | 4.6 | 5.0 | 7.4 | 4.7 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 6.9 | 6.5 | 5.8 | 5.3 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.2 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 1.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.8 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||||
| Budget | $88 | $104 | $60 | $193 |
| Mid-range | $132 | $154 | $158 | $283 |
| Luxury | $212 | $253 | $263 | $492 |
| Living there | ||||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 60 | 80 | 87 | 158 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $925 | $1,400 | $1,080 | $3,200 |
| Median home price | $183,700 | $410,000 | $333,000 | $1,100,000 |
| Population | 132K | 100K | 96K | 123K |
| Getting there | ||||
| Accessible by | Drive Airport | Drive Train Airport | Drive Train | Drive Train Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — | — | — |
| Travel time from Abilene | — | Far | 12 h 11 min details | Far |
| Character | ||||
| Best for | Budget stays | History, Budget stays | — | History |
| Known for | National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Live music, Family & kids | National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Wineries & breweries, Live music, Shopping, Family & kids | National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Nightlife, Live music, Pro sports, Shopping | Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Live music, Family & kids |
| When to go | Peak: Spring and fall | Peak: Late spring through fall when Yosemite… | Peak: KU home football and basketball weekend… | Peak: September to October and May to June |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.