Head to Head
Charleston, SC vs Madison, WI
Charleston and Madison tie at a Fun Score of 96. Across 23 individual factors, Charleston wins 14 and Madison wins 9.
- Factor wins — Charleston
- 14 of 23
- Tied
- 0
- Factor wins — Madison
- 9 of 23
| Factor | Charleston, SC | Madison, WI |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 86 Best | 74 |
| Drinks | 86 Best | 84 |
| Coffee | 81 Best | 76 |
| Live Music | 76 Best | 74 |
| Star Power | 65 Best | 59 |
| Outdoors | 75 | 88 Best |
| Culture | 90 Best | 68 |
| Events | 80 Best | 55 |
| Sports | 91 Best | 66 |
| Unique Hangouts | 72 | 91 Best |
| City Vibe | 83 Best | 62 |
| Climate | 80 Best | 25 |
| Transit Quality | 22 | 78 Best |
| Walkability | 37 | 83 Best |
| Higher Education | 80 | 90 Best |
| Bike & Micromobility | 12 | 89 Best |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 20 Best | 25 |
| Traffic | 62 | 18 Best |
| Air Quality | 31 Best | 81 |
| Disaster Risk | 67 | 28 Best |
| Weather Extremes | 56 Best | 89 |
| Economic Strain | 14 Best | 29 |
| Going-Out Cost | 35 | 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 →