Head to Head
Madison, WI vs Boise, ID
Madison leads with a Fun Score of 96, ahead by 15 points. Across 23 individual factors, Madison wins 14 and Boise wins 9.
- Factor wins — Madison
- 14 of 23
- Tied
- 0
- Factor wins — Boise
- 9 of 23
| Factor | Madison, WI | Boise, ID |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 74 Best | 65 |
| Drinks | 84 Best | 46 |
| Coffee | 76 Best | 74 |
| Live Music | 70 | 90 Best |
| Star Power | 58 Best | 30 |
| Outdoors | 88 Best | 69 |
| Culture | 68 Best | 60 |
| Events | 54 | 88 Best |
| Sports | 47 | 65 Best |
| Unique Hangouts | 90 Best | 78 |
| City Vibe | 58 Best | 29 |
| Climate | 25 Best | 13 |
| Transit Quality | 78 Best | 14 |
| Walkability | 83 Best | 42 |
| Higher Education | 90 Best | 71 |
| Bike & Micromobility | 89 Best | 60 |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 24 | 2 Best |
| Traffic | 18 | 16 Best |
| Air Quality | 46 | 44 Best |
| Disaster Risk | 28 | 13 Best |
| Weather Extremes | 89 | 49 Best |
| Economic Strain | 29 | 7 Best |
| Going-Out Cost | 8 Best | 82 |
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 →