---
title: How We Pick the Five: Distance First | NearMe Five
url: https://nearme5.com/how-we-pick/
updated: 2026-10-29
---

[NearMe **Five**](https://nearme5.com/)

[How we pick](https://nearme5.com/how-we-pick/)[For businesses](https://nearme5.com/claim/)

1. [Home](https://nearme5.com/)
2. Methodology

Methodology

# How we pick the five Distance and service area, after a quality check

One question per list: who are the closest good companies that will actually come to you?

Last reviewed October 29, 2026

## The short version

1.

**Start from the place** One service in one city or neighborhood, measured from its centre.

2.

**Keep who works there** Based in the area, or regularly working there.

3.

**Quality check** Open, reachable by phone, enough real reviews with a solid rating.

4.

**Closest first** Sorted by distance. No hidden scores.

## Distance

Straight-line miles from the centre of the place to the company's office or yard. Crews come to you, so distance is mostly about how quickly someone can stop by. When two companies are equally close, the stronger record goes first.

## Service area

A company three miles away that doesn't work in your area is no use. Every card says whether the company is based there, works there or covers the whole city.

## Record checks

Where we can, we check the license, business registration, permits and insurance against public records or documents. Each profile lists the source and date. Checks are shown on the cards; they don't change the order.

## Hours

The hours each company posts, refreshed regularly. Holidays can differ, so call ahead.

## When fewer than five qualify

We show fewer. We never pad a list with companies that miss the check.

## What money can't buy

A place in the five, a higher position or a competitor removed. Sponsored placements are labelled and sit outside the numbered list. [How we make money](https://nearme5.com/how-we-make-money/).

## Updates and corrections

Every page shows its update date. Something wrong? [Report it here](https://nearme5.com/corrections/).

## Distance questions

### Is the distance the drive time?

No. It is straight-line miles from the centre of the city or neighborhood to the company's base. Driving is usually a little longer, and traffic can add more.

### Why is a closer company missing from the five?

It did not pass the check: it may not work in that area, have too few reviews, or have no working phone number. Close alone is not enough.

### Does a neighborhood get its own five?

Yes, where we have enough companies. Neighborhood lists measure from the neighborhood's centre, so the order can differ from the city list.

### Can I see who answers fastest?

Not as a ranking. Posted hours are on every card, and a closer company can usually stop by sooner. Call two or three to compare.

- [Home](https://nearme5.com/)
- [How we pick the five](https://nearme5.com/how-we-pick/)
- [How we make money](https://nearme5.com/how-we-make-money/)
- [Report a mistake](https://nearme5.com/corrections/)
- [Claim a profile](https://nearme5.com/claim/)

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NearMe Five may earn a fee when you request a quote through our pages. That never changes who is in the five or the order, which is set by distance.

Hours and ratings last refreshed October 29, 2026 . © 2026 NearMe Five.