About Close

Proximity governs how we live, work, and socialize. Close is an interactive travel time map for people who want to be near the amenities that matter most to them.

Close builds on two core principles:

  1. Different people will prioritize being near different amenities
  2. A neighborhood is only as accessible as its most distant important amenity

When you select multiple amenities in Close, the map shows the travel time to the furthest of those amenities. You can set your preferred travel mode to get to each amenity.

Close is currently in public beta, with more features and destination types coming over the next few months. The reliability of destinations will continually improve as new data sources and user feedback are incorporated.

Close is built and maintained by Henry Spatial Analysis. You can stay up-to-date on the latest improvements to Close by subscribing to the newsletter.

How to use Close

Close includes travel time information for cities across the United States. To view a different location, select the search icon on the top left of the screen and enter a city or county name.

To access map details, including a link to this About page, click the menu icon in the top left corner of the map.

Zoom in and out of the map using the - and + buttons on the top left of the map.

Select destination types in the bottom left box. You can add up to six destination types with the Add destination button. To change the settings for each destination type:

  • Travel mode: Select from walking, biking, or a combination of walking and public transit.
  • Travel time visible: To hide a destination's effect on combined travel time, uncheck the box to the right of the travel mode.
  • Destinations visible: Selected destinations are visible as points on the map. You can hide these by unchecking the box to the right of the point icon.
  • Removing a destination: To remove a destination type from the list, click the close button to the right of the destination type name.

On small screens, the destination selection box and travel time legend can be hidden and re-expanded using the and arrows.

Select a block on the map to see travel times to each destination type.

Select a destination point on the map to see its name, address, and type. You can report incorrect destinations by clicking the ⚠ icon in the destination pop-up.

By default, unpopulated blocks are shown on the map, but very large blocks are hidden. You can toggle these settings using the check boxes at the bottom of the destination selection box.

Destination details

Close aims to classify amenities using the same standards nationwide. Some details for particular destinations are laid out below:

Destination Details
Supermarkets Close distinguishes supermarkets from convenience stores and other markets using two criteria:
  • At least two aisles of fresh produce
  • At least two aisles of home goods
Convenience stores Includes general stores, corner stores, gas station stores, bodegas, and other markets that do not meet the criteria for a supermarket
Farmers markets Includes both produce markets and weekly farmers markets
Libraries Public libraries, not including university libraries
Public transit Subway/light rail: Also includes trams and streetcars

Passenger rail: Includes both inter-city and commuter rail

Frequent stop: Stop on a route that meets the following criteria:
  • ≤10 minute headways on weekdays 7-9 AM and 4-6 PM
  • ≤15 minute headways on weekdays 9 AM-4 PM and weekends 7 AM-6 PM
Public schools Alternative schools, career and technical schools, schools focused on special education, and charter schools are split into separate categories.

Travel time is calculated to the nearest matching school in the same school district. Some districts determine school attendance using smaller geographic zones; these attendance zones have not yet been added to Close, so school travel time estimates should be cross-checked against attendance zone maps provided by the district.
Playgrounds Designated play spaces for toddlers and children, usually including playground equipment. Must be open to the public. Does not include playfields for organized sports.

City shortcuts

Close has built-in shortcut URLs for cities across the United States. If you use Close regularly and your city is not on the list, please reach out to request a new shortcut.

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Puerto Rico

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Contact

For inquiries about Close or the underlying travel time database, please contact Henry Spatial Analysis. If Close helped you make a decision about where to live, work, or travel, send us an email—we would love to hear about your experience.