| Measure | FairbanksAlaska, United States Remove Fairbanks | QuesnelBritish Columbia, Canada Remove Quesnel | BeaufortSouth Carolina, United States Remove Beaufort | Portage la PrairieManitoba, Canada Remove Portage la Prairie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||||
| Overall score | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.7 | 5.2 |
| Connector Score | 4.7 | 5.5 | 6.8 | 7.2 |
| Safety | 4.3 | 3.6 | — | 3.8 |
| Affordability | 4.8 | 7.3 | 6.0 | 7.5 |
| Transportation | 7.5 | 6.5 | 8.0 | 8.5 |
| Car-free friendliness | 6.0 | 3.5 | 6.5 | 5.5 |
| Walkability | 6.8 | 3.5 | 4.4 | 3.6 |
| Things to do | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 3.8 |
| Food & dining | 3.6 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.1 |
| Places to stay | 5.1 | 4.8 | 5.5 | 4.9 |
| Nature & outdoors | 5.5 | 8.0 | 7.5 | 4.0 |
| Scenic value | 6.3 | 8.5 | 7.8 | 5.3 |
| Family friendliness | 4.9 | 4.7 | 5.7 | 4.3 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.2 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 3.9 |
| Nightlife | 2.5 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 2.1 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 4.8 | 5.0 | 4.4 | 5.1 |
| Road-trip convenience | 5.0 | 6.9 | 6.8 | 6.8 |
| Train-trip convenience | 5.5 | 1.0 | 6.9 | 5.7 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 1.5 | 4.8 | 7.1 | 6.0 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||||
| Budget | $160 | $88 | $138 | $87 |
| Mid-range | $263 | $122 | $208 | $118 |
| Luxury | $460 | $110 | $360 | $110 |
| Living there | ||||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 117 | 92 | 105 | 90 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,350 | CA$1,100 | $1,500 | CA$1,000 |
| Median home price | $268,400 | CA$350,000 | $345,400 | CA$285,000 |
| Population | 31K | 9,889 | 16K | 13K |
| Getting there | ||||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Airport | Drive Bus Airport Camping RV-friendly | Drive Train Bus Camping | Drive Train Bus Airport Camping |
| Car recommended | — | — | — | — |
| Travel time from Fairbanks | — | Far | Far | Far |
| Character | ||||
| Best for | History | Outdoors, History | Outdoors, Beaches, History | History |
| Known for | National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites | Mountains & hiking, National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Shopping | Beaches, National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites | Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites |
| When to go | Peak: June to August and aurora season mid-Fe… | Peak: June to September | Peak: Spring and fall | Peak: June to August |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.