Head to Head
Portland, ME vs Madison, WI
Portland leads with a Fun Score of 100, ahead by 6 points. Across 23 individual factors, Portland wins 16 and Madison wins 7.
- Factor wins — Portland
- 16 of 23
- Tied
- 0
- Factor wins — Madison
- 7 of 23
| Factor | Portland, ME | Madison, WI |
|---|---|---|
| What lifts the score | ||
| Eats | 89 Best | 74 |
| Drinks | 91 Best | 84 |
| Coffee | 86 Best | 76 |
| Live Music | 87 Best | 71 |
| Star Power | 44 | 58 Best |
| Outdoors | 89 Best | 88 |
| Culture | 91 Best | 68 |
| Events | 82 Best | 42 |
| Sports | 92 Best | 40 |
| Unique Hangouts | 89 | 90 Best |
| City Vibe | 92 Best | 58 |
| Climate | 28 Best | 25 |
| Transit Quality | 66 | 78 Best |
| Walkability | 89 Best | 83 |
| Higher Education | 8 | 90 Best |
| Bike & Micromobility | 29 | 89 Best |
| What weighs it down (lower score = better) | ||
| Crime | 26 | 24 Best |
| Traffic | 17 Best | 18 |
| Air Quality | 25 Best | 49 |
| Disaster Risk | 5 Best | 28 |
| Weather Extremes | 42 Best | 89 |
| Economic Strain | 3 Best | 29 |
| Going-Out Cost | 59 | 8 Best |
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 →