Head to Head
Madison, WI vs San Diego, CA
Madison leads with a Fun Score of 96, ahead by 20 points. Across 23 individual factors, Madison wins 15 and San Diego wins 8.
- Factor wins — Madison
- 15 of 23
- Tied
- 0
- Factor wins — San Diego
- 8 of 23
| Factor | Madison, WI | San Diego, CA |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 74 Best | 71 |
| Drinks | 84 Best | 66 |
| Coffee | 76 | 79 Best |
| Live Music | 70 | 80 Best |
| Star Power | 58 | 86 Best |
| Outdoors | 88 Best | 33 |
| Culture | 68 Best | 44 |
| Events | 54 | 64 Best |
| Sports | 47 Best | 42 |
| Unique Hangouts | 90 Best | 70 |
| City Vibe | 58 | 70 Best |
| Climate | 25 | 87 Best |
| Transit Quality | 78 Best | 67 |
| Walkability | 83 Best | 52 |
| Higher Education | 90 Best | 70 |
| Bike & Micromobility | 89 Best | 85 |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 24 | 20 Best |
| Traffic | 18 Best | 55 |
| Air Quality | 46 Best | 56 |
| Disaster Risk | 28 Best | 86 |
| Weather Extremes | 89 | 35 Best |
| Economic Strain | 29 Best | 43 |
| 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 →