Consilium One report for two ZIP codes, with every number sourced
If you're choosing between two places to live, the information is out there. It's just spread across a cost-of-living site, a crime map, a flood map, a weather site, and a listings app, each one covering one slice, often for the whole city rather than the ZIP code you're actually looking at.
Consilium Compare puts two ZIP codes side by side in one report. Crime context, flood zones, air quality, nearby industrial sites, traffic deaths, schools, climate, and housing costs, each figure from a named source, so you can check it. Mapped crime incidents, environmental incidents, and the concern scores are Consilium's own proprietary data. The other figures come from public records.
It's context, not a recommendation. We show you how the places differ; the decision stays yours.
How it compares to the tools you already use
These are good tools, and many people use several of them. Consilium Compare is built for one job: two specific ZIP codes, side by side, in one sourced report.
| Tool | What it's good for | What Consilium Compare adds for a two-ZIP decision |
|---|---|---|
| Numbeo | Cost-of-living prices by city, from user submissions plus manually gathered sources | ZIP-level figures from government data, plus safety, flood, and environmental context |
| BestPlaces | Free city comparisons across cost of living, crime, climate, and schools | Flood-zone share, named industrial sites with distances, traffic deaths, and school district splits for each ZIP |
| City-Data | Detailed city and ZIP profiles, plus active relocation forums | Two places in one side-by-side layout, with the source named next to each figure |
| NeighborhoodScout | Address-level crime ratings and real estate analytics for professionals; plans from about $112 a month, or $30 per report (as of October 6, 2026) | A consumer report that compares two ZIPs directly, at a launch price of $1.99 |
| WeatherSpark | Free, detailed weather and climate charts for almost anywhere | Climate shown next to flood, air, earthquake, and safety data for both places |
| Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com | Listings, home values, and market trends | What the listing doesn't show: flood exposure, nearby industry, road safety, and which school district serves the area |
Competitor information was pulled from each company's website on October 6, 2026. Features and prices may have changed since.
What about asking an AI assistant?
AI chat assistants can pull together a quick comparison of two cities, and that's a fine place to start. Before you rely on one for a move, check three things:
Where each number came from. AI assistants can "hallucinate": they sometimes state a number, fact, or source that sounds right but is made up, because they generate likely-sounding text instead of looking up records. In a Consilium report, every figure names its source. Mapped crime and environmental incidents are Consilium's own proprietary data. Public figures name Census, FEMA, EPA, NHTSA, the FBI, USGS, NCES, or CMS.
Whether it's about the city or the ZIP. Most answers describe a whole city. Flood zones, nearby industry, and school districts can change from one ZIP code to the next, and that's the level our data works at.
Whether it picked a winner. Many assistants end with a recommendation. We don't. We show where the places differ and leave the call to you.
The practical difference: you can check our work. Each report lists its sources, so you can confirm anything that matters before you sign.
Our own scores, plus the full public record
Most tools repackage the same public datasets. Consilium Compare includes those, and adds two scores no one else has:
- Consilium crime concern score (0–10). Built on FBI crime data for the police department that serves each ZIP, then layered with recent local crime incidents from Consilium's own monitoring, so it reflects recent activity, not just last year's federal totals.
- Consilium environmental concern score (0–10). Built on EPA data on reported industrial chemical releases near each ZIP, then layered with current environmental events that Consilium captures, records, and scores, such as chemical spills, hazardous-material incidents, floods, and earthquakes.
Where recent incident data is thin, each score leans more on its official foundation. The data behind every score appears right next to it, so you can see what's driving it. How our concern scores work.
Around those scores, the report covers flood zones, air quality, earthquake risk, climate, rainfall and pollen, walkability, schools, healthcare access, road safety, and housing costs.
What's in a report
| Topic | What you get for each ZIP | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Housing and cost | Home value, rent, income, homeownership, year built | U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates |
| Getting around | Walkability, commute mode, commute time | EPA Smart Location Database; Census ACS |
| Crime context | Consilium crime concern score and mapped crime incidents, plus FBI rates for the police department that serves the area | Consilium proprietary crime data; FBI crime data |
| Environmental incidents | Mapped environmental incidents near each ZIP, and the environmental concern score | Consilium proprietary environmental data |
| Road safety | Fatal crashes and deaths, including night and alcohol-involved | NHTSA FARS |
| Flood exposure | Share of the ZIP in FEMA high-risk, moderate, and minimal zones | FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer |
| Nearby industry | Named facilities that report chemical releases, with distance and pounds released | EPA Toxics Release Inventory |
| Air quality | Pollutant averages and peaks from nearby monitors | EPA Air Quality System |
| Earthquakes | Building-code shaking values and recent regional activity | USGS |
| Schools | Which districts serve the ZIP, by share of area, and public schools inside it | NCES |
| Climate | Temperature, rainfall, pollen, and a live forecast for your visit | Climate normals; pollen monitors; National Weather Service |
| Health access | Hospitals and other facilities within 10 miles | CMS Provider Data Catalog (data.cms.gov) |
What we don't do
- No recommendation. We don't tell you which place to choose.
- No school ratings. We show which districts serve a ZIP, not how good they are.
- No guessing. When we can't find a sourced figure, the report says so instead of estimating.
- Not parcel-level. Flood and other figures describe the ZIP. Check the exact address before you buy.
FAQ
Is there a tool that compares two ZIP codes side by side?
Yes. Consilium Compare puts two U.S. ZIP codes side by side in one report: crime context, FEMA flood zones, air quality, nearby industrial sites, traffic deaths, school districts, climate, and housing costs, each with its source. Mapped crime and environmental incidents are Consilium's own proprietary data.
How is Consilium Compare different from NeighborhoodScout?
As of October 6, 2026, NeighborhoodScout offers address-level analytics on professional subscription plans. Consilium Compare is a consumer report that compares two ZIP codes directly, at a launch price of $1.99 per comparison.
How is it different from BestPlaces or City-Data?
Those sites profile one place at a time, often at the city level. Consilium Compare shows two ZIPs in one layout and adds ZIP-level flood-zone shares, named industrial sites with distances, fatal-crash counts, and school district splits.
Can't I just ask ChatGPT or Copilot to compare two cities?
You can, and it's a reasonable start. Just know that AI assistants can hallucinate: they sometimes produce numbers or facts that sound right but are made up, because they predict likely text instead of looking up records. Every number in a Consilium report names its source, works at the ZIP level, and stops short of a recommendation, so you can check anything before you rely on it.
Where does the data come from?
Mapped crime incidents, environmental incidents, and the crime and environmental concern scores are Consilium's own proprietary data. Other figures come from public sources, including the U.S. Census, FEMA, the EPA, NHTSA, the FBI, USGS, NCES, and CMS. Each section of the report names its source. How our concern scores work.
Does Consilium Compare tell me where to live?
No. It shows how two places differ. The choice is yours.
How much does it cost?
A free preview shows the summary, walkability, population density, and all the housing and economics data. We're rolling out with a launch price of $1.99 for a full comparison. The 30-30 Plan is $19.99 for up to 30 reports in 30 days.