| Measure | ElkhartIndiana, United States Remove Elkhart | Traverse CityMichigan, United States Remove Traverse City |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 5.9 | 6.0 |
| Connector Score | 8.3 | 4.9 |
| Safety | 7.0 | 7.4 |
| Affordability | 7.3 | 6.0 |
| Transportation | 7.0 | 6.5 |
| Car-free friendliness | 4.5 | 4.0 |
| Walkability | 3.9 | 4.4 |
| Things to do | 5.5 | 5.3 |
| Food & dining | 4.3 | 5.6 |
| Places to stay | 6.1 | 4.7 |
| Nature & outdoors | 3.5 | 9.0 |
| Scenic value | 5.3 | 8.8 |
| Family friendliness | 4.9 | 5.5 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.2 | 5.3 |
| Nightlife | 3.7 | 3.2 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 5.7 | 5.1 |
| Road-trip convenience | 7.3 | 5.4 |
| Train-trip convenience | 7.0 | 1.0 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $95 | $150 |
| Mid-range | $140 | $240 |
| Luxury | $224 | $433 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 92 | 105 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $950 | $1,450 |
| Population | 54K | 16K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Airport RV-friendly | Drive Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Elkhart | — | 5 h 3 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | History | Outdoors, Wine country |
| Known for | Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Live music, Shopping | Beaches, Mountains & hiking, National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Historic sites, Food scene, Wineries & breweries, Shopping |
| When to go | — | Peak: Late June through August, especially Na… |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.