Head to Head
Boston, MA vs Madison, WI
Boston leads with a Fun Score of 99, ahead by 3 points. Across 23 individual factors, Boston wins 14 and Madison wins 9.
- Factor wins — Boston
- 14 of 23
- Tied
- 0
- Factor wins — Madison
- 9 of 23
| Factor | Boston, MA | Madison, WI |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 78 Best | 74 |
| Drinks | 63 | 84 Best |
| Coffee | 85 Best | 76 |
| Live Music | 91 Best | 70 |
| Star Power | 91 Best | 58 |
| Outdoors | 58 | 88 Best |
| Culture | 74 Best | 68 |
| Events | 77 Best | 54 |
| Sports | 86 Best | 47 |
| Unique Hangouts | 58 | 90 Best |
| City Vibe | 88 Best | 58 |
| Climate | 35 Best | 25 |
| Transit Quality | 92 Best | 78 |
| Walkability | 91 Best | 83 |
| Higher Education | 87 | 90 Best |
| Bike & Micromobility | 72 | 89 Best |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 34 | 24 Best |
| Traffic | 88 | 18 Best |
| Air Quality | 20 Best | 46 |
| Disaster Risk | 26 Best | 28 |
| Weather Extremes | 26 Best | 89 |
| Economic Strain | 45 | 29 Best |
| Going-Out Cost | 59 | 8 Best |
Scores are 0–100 percentile ranks. For drawback factors (crime, traffic, etc.) a lower number is better — the Best badge marks whichever city has less. Full methodology →