Head to Head
Madison, WI vs Denver, CO
Madison leads with a Fun Score of 94, ahead by 11 points. Across 23 individual factors, Madison wins 10 and Denver wins 12, with 1 tied.
- Factor wins — Madison
- 10 of 23
- Tied
- 1
- Factor wins — Denver
- 12 of 23
| Factor | Madison, WI | Denver, CO |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 74 | 84 Best |
| Drinks | 84 | 88 Best |
| Coffee | 76 | 87 Best |
| Live Music | 71 | 91 Best |
| Star Power | 58 | 83 Best |
| Outdoors | 88 Best | 74 |
| Culture | 68 | 69 Best |
| Events | 42 | 89 Best |
| Sports | 40 | 81 Best |
| Unique Hangouts | 90 Best | 56 |
| City Vibe | 58 | 80 Best |
| Climate | 25 Best | 9 |
| Transit Quality | 78 Best | 72 |
| Walkability | 83 | 84 Best |
| Higher Education | 90 Best | 17 |
| Bike & Micromobility | 89 | 92 Best |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 24 Best | 86 |
| Traffic | 18 Best | 70 |
| Air Quality | 49 Best | 88 |
| Disaster Risk | 28 Best | 34 |
| Weather Extremes | 89 | 64 Best |
| Economic Strain | 29 | 29 |
| 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 →