Head to Head
Madison, WI vs Buffalo, NY
Madison leads with a Fun Score of 94, ahead by 19 points. Across 23 individual factors, Madison wins 13 and Buffalo wins 10.
- Factor wins — Madison
- 13 of 23
- Tied
- 0
- Factor wins — Buffalo
- 10 of 23
| Factor | Madison, WI | Buffalo, NY |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 74 Best | 31 |
| Drinks | 84 Best | 79 |
| Coffee | 76 Best | 51 |
| Live Music | 71 | 82 Best |
| Star Power | 58 | 83 Best |
| Outdoors | 88 Best | 56 |
| Culture | 68 | 80 Best |
| Events | 42 | 83 Best |
| Sports | 40 | 75 Best |
| Unique Hangouts | 90 Best | 15 |
| City Vibe | 58 | 88 Best |
| Climate | 25 | 39 Best |
| Transit Quality | 78 | 88 Best |
| Walkability | 83 Best | 73 |
| Higher Education | 90 Best | 74 |
| Bike & Micromobility | 89 Best | 58 |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 24 Best | 74 |
| Traffic | 18 Best | 21 |
| Air Quality | 49 | 38 Best |
| Disaster Risk | 28 Best | 53 |
| Weather Extremes | 89 | 34 Best |
| Economic Strain | 29 Best | 90 |
| Going-Out Cost | 8 Best | 59 |
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 →