Evaluating Grad Schools on grounds other than research
I applied to six graduate schools in my field, and was accepted at all of them. The criteria I used to whittle down the choices were:


Did I like the people in the department I was visiting?  (This surprisingly did eliminate one school.)
Did I want to go to live in the city where the school was for five or so years? (One more down, four left.)
Could I find enough people I was interested in working for, so that if I didn't get my top choice, I'd still be happy with the projects I'd be taking?
Can I financially afford to live in the city? (One more down, two left.)


At that point, however, the remaining criteria were all competing with one another: one school offered me a lot more money, the other had a lot better location. Both offered plenty of research, and both had excellent reputations in their field. Ultimately, for me, the location, combined with the slightly higher general profile of the school I attended, swayed the balance for me.

Remember that you're looking for individual groups or faculty members as well as entire departments. Students and faculty will both be considerations for you.