On this site, distance is straight-line miles from your location, or from the center of the zip code or city you search, to the facility's address. Driving distance is usually a bit longer.
Straight-line distance, sometimes called "as the crow flies," is the shortest path between two points on a map. It is fast to calculate and easy to compare, which is why most "near me" tools use it.
Driving distance follows the roads. The gap between the two depends on your area:
- Grid cities and open suburbs: driving is usually a little longer than straight-line.
- Rivers, lakes, rail lines and highways: a unit that looks close can need a long detour to the nearest crossing.
- Traffic: 3 miles at rush hour can take longer than 6 miles on a clear road.
Other directories often measure from a city's center point no matter where you live in it, or list facilities by city name with no distance at all. That is how a "storage in your city" page ends up showing places 15 miles away.
To check the real trip, tap Directions on any listing in our finder. It opens the route in Google Maps from where you are. If two units are close in price, pick the shorter drive, not the shorter straight line.