Head to Head
Madison, WI vs Burlington, VT
Madison leads with a Fun Score of 94, ahead by 15 points. Across 23 individual factors, Madison wins 12 and Burlington wins 11.
- Factor wins — Madison
- 12 of 23
- Tied
- 0
- Factor wins — Burlington
- 11 of 23
| Factor | Madison, WI | Burlington, VT |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 74 | 83 Best |
| Drinks | 84 | 89 Best |
| Coffee | 76 | 86 Best |
| Live Music | 71 Best | 26 |
| Star Power | 58 Best | 26 |
| Outdoors | 88 Best | 86 |
| Culture | 68 | 88 Best |
| Events | 42 | 55 Best |
| Sports | 40 Best | 35 |
| Unique Hangouts | 90 Best | 85 |
| City Vibe | 58 Best | 38 |
| Climate | 25 Best | 24 |
| Transit Quality | 78 | 79 Best |
| Walkability | 83 Best | 71 |
| Higher Education | 90 | 91 Best |
| Bike & Micromobility | 89 Best | 64 |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 24 Best | 79 |
| Traffic | 18 | 14 Best |
| Air Quality | 49 | 22 Best |
| Disaster Risk | 28 | 4 Best |
| Weather Extremes | 89 | 46 Best |
| Economic Strain | 29 Best | 48 |
| 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 →