Even though we have become more technologically advanced in the last few decades and more of our business is taken care of in the digital world there is still a need for the old postal service. As a matter of fact, the US Postal Service is also keeping up with the trends and is going digital as well. This is one of the reasons why the old way of addressing our mail has had to change. Now, with the new ZIP +4 system, much of the mail sorting can be done automatically saving a lot of man hours to get the mail delivered. But this presents a challenge for the average person sending anything through the Postal Service if they don't know the new numbers to use. The good news is that you can look them up relatively easily on one of the many different Postal ZIP Code Lists.
US ZIP Code Boundaries:
One of the biggest misunderstandings about ZIP codes is that they are grouped together by boundaries. On the contrary, the way ZIP code lists are organized is not by any type of geographical designation. It is true that addresses that are situated close to one another may have the same ZIP code but that really has very little to do with how the number was assigned. While these may appear to have a geographical commonality, when you look at a list of the ZIP code areas, a definitive boundary line will not always be clear. So, when you refer to Postal ZIP Code Lists do not assume that the numbers are designated for all addresses in a specific area.
US ZIP Code Maps:
Many people often ask if they can have a ZIP Code Map showing the location of all the ZIP Codes in a given area. While that may be done on a general basis, there is no official map released by the US Postal Service. The reason being that since there are no definitive boundaries to a specified ZIP Code area is that there is no way to accurately portray ZIP Codes on a single map. Most ZIP Codes are designated by routes that a postal worker will travel to deliver the mail so there will be times when ZIP Codes will cross city and sometimes even state lines on a single route.
The Purpose of The ZIP Code:
All of that is much easier to understand if you consider the purpose of the ZIP Code. It was meant to make delivering mail easier for the Postal Service. Therefore, it was never designed to fit within the guidelines of a specific city, county, or state. It makes more sense for a postal worker to cross a state line to deliver mail if the address is in close proximity to the mail route he is usually on. This is why it is difficult to find Postal ZIP Code Lists that can accurately portray the ZIP Code system across the country. There are many services that offer these lists for quick reference but if you really want to know the exact ZIP Code for a certain address or location, it is best to consult those who created it in the first place, which is the US Postal Service.