Parent ZIP Codes

ZIP Codes for Census ZCTA Gaps

This product provides a ZIP Code for the surrounding area in which a Point ZIP is physically located. A Point ZIP is one of many U.S. Postal Service ZIP Codes that do not reflect an area where people live. They may be better described as points on a map. These are typically post-office-box-only ZIP Codes, government departments, or single businesses that obtained their own private ZIP Code due to large volume. In most cases, they are a single point or location within a larger mailing area.

Many types of datasets understandably omit Point ZIPs due to the nature of the data. For instance, Point ZIPs would be meaningless in any of our products dealing with population and/or land-area, since they have neither. Another example is data from the Census Bureau using corresponding ZCTAs (Census Bureau’s approximation of a ZIP Code). None of the ZCTAs have a corresponding USPS Point ZIP.

However, when you have a typical list of addresses (some with P.O. Boxes and other Point ZIPS) and you wish to get corresponding demographics, you will most likely want the Parent ZIP Code (the ZIP Code surrounding the Point ZIP). This product provides a cross-reference between every ZIP Code and its parent. For convenience, all ZIP Codes are listed, but only Point ZIPs will have a differing parent. See sample below. The Point ZIPs are highlighted in yellow.

ZIP Parent ZIP Type State
24060 24060 VA
24061 24060 B VA
24062 24060 E VA
24063 24060 E VA
24064 24064 VA
24065 24065 VA

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Parent ZIP Codes for Census Database

At the time the U.S. Census Bureau conducts a Census every decade, ZIP Codes without residential addresses (PO Boxes and ZIP Codes in business districts) won't have any demographics assigned to them. This accounts for about 20% of all ZIP Codes. When an individual or business address is a PO Box, you need to know a nearby ZIP Code with a residential population in order to get good demographics. Our Parent ZIP Code provides you with that nearby ZIP Code.

Learn more: View the Product Documentation / Watch our Census Pro video / Watch our Accuracy Matters video


Database Specs

Comma-Separated Values (CSV) Text File

Official U.S. Postal Service five digit ZIP Code

If the ZIP Code is a Point ZIP Code with a corresponding ZCTA, this will have the ZCTA.

U.S. Postal Service ZIP Code database type codes:
B = Single High-volume Address
M = APO/FPO Military
E = P.O. Box Only
No value indicates standard general delivery

Official U.S. Postal Service state abbreviation

Database Sources

We are licensees of USPS database products, and license the Parent ZIP Code data from a mapping company and add our own improvements, based on our decades of experience.

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Cannot be resold, transferred, or used to compete with GreatData.com (as outlined in our license agreement).

Related Links

US Census Demographics by ZIP Code
Canadian Divisions / Subdivisions Database