Head to Head
Madison, WI vs Boulder, CO
Madison leads with a Fun Score of 94, ahead by 16 points. Across 23 individual factors, Madison wins 14 and Boulder wins 8, with 1 tied.
- Factor wins — Madison
- 14 of 23
- Tied
- 1
- Factor wins — Boulder
- 8 of 23
| Factor | Madison, WI | Boulder, CO |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 74 | 83 Best |
| Drinks | 84 Best | 73 |
| Coffee | 76 | 89 Best |
| Live Music | 71 Best | 63 |
| Star Power | 58 Best | 31 |
| Outdoors | 88 Best | 84 |
| Culture | 68 Best | 57 |
| Events | 42 | 85 Best |
| Sports | 40 | 76 Best |
| Unique Hangouts | 90 Best | 47 |
| City Vibe | 58 Best | 27 |
| Climate | 25 Best | 3 |
| Transit Quality | 78 Best | 77 |
| Walkability | 83 Best | 74 |
| Higher Education | 90 | 90 |
| Bike & Micromobility | 89 | 92 Best |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 24 Best | 40 |
| Traffic | 18 | 9 Best |
| Air Quality | 49 Best | 88 |
| Disaster Risk | 28 | 18 Best |
| Weather Extremes | 89 | 71 Best |
| Economic Strain | 29 Best | 63 |
| 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 →