Head to Head
Madison, WI vs Charleston, SC
Madison leads with a Fun Score of 94, ahead by 5 points. Across 23 individual factors, Madison wins 10 and Charleston wins 13.
- Factor wins — Madison
- 10 of 23
- Tied
- 0
- Factor wins — Charleston
- 13 of 23
| Factor | Madison, WI | Charleston, SC |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 74 | 86 Best |
| Drinks | 84 | 87 Best |
| Coffee | 76 | 83 Best |
| Live Music | 71 | 81 Best |
| Star Power | 58 | 65 Best |
| Outdoors | 88 Best | 76 |
| Culture | 68 | 90 Best |
| Events | 42 | 54 Best |
| Sports | 40 | 92 Best |
| Unique Hangouts | 90 Best | 67 |
| City Vibe | 58 | 65 Best |
| Climate | 25 | 80 Best |
| Transit Quality | 78 Best | 22 |
| Walkability | 83 Best | 37 |
| Higher Education | 90 Best | 80 |
| Bike & Micromobility | 89 Best | 11 |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 24 | 21 Best |
| Traffic | 18 Best | 62 |
| Air Quality | 49 Best | 65 |
| Disaster Risk | 28 Best | 67 |
| Weather Extremes | 89 | 56 Best |
| Economic Strain | 29 | 11 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 →