Head to Head
Madison, WI vs Austin, TX
Madison leads with a Fun Score of 94, ahead by 20 points. Across 23 individual factors, Madison wins 15 and Austin wins 8.
- Factor wins — Madison
- 15 of 23
- Tied
- 0
- Factor wins — Austin
- 8 of 23
| Factor | Madison, WI | Austin, TX |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 74 | 76 Best |
| Drinks | 84 Best | 77 |
| Coffee | 76 Best | 71 |
| Live Music | 71 | 73 Best |
| Star Power | 58 | 65 Best |
| Outdoors | 88 Best | 46 |
| Culture | 68 Best | 46 |
| Events | 42 | 77 Best |
| Sports | 40 Best | 37 |
| Unique Hangouts | 90 Best | 71 |
| City Vibe | 58 | 86 Best |
| Climate | 25 | 44 Best |
| Transit Quality | 78 Best | 59 |
| Walkability | 83 Best | 54 |
| Higher Education | 90 Best | 65 |
| Bike & Micromobility | 89 Best | 87 |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 24 Best | 65 |
| Traffic | 18 Best | 56 |
| Air Quality | 49 Best | 82 |
| Disaster Risk | 28 Best | 55 |
| Weather Extremes | 89 | 56 Best |
| Economic Strain | 29 | 17 Best |
| Going-Out Cost | 8 Best | 35 |
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 →