Ground Zero ?

[+Mr Smiles]

From the Main Page, we enter a Zip Code Number and get Cache listings starting a given distance away from a (hypothetical?) point. Can one find the center/centroid of a given Zip Code on a map someplace or calculate the point with reasonable accuracy?

 

Mr Smiles

[+Stunod]

After you do your zip search, click the button.

 

The + will be shown on the map as the centerpoint. If you look at the URL for the map page, the coodinates will be shown in decimal degree format.

Edited August 11, 2004 by Stunod

[+Team Perks]

I long gave up on using Zip code searches. I live right on the border of two geographically large Zip codes, so whichever one I put in centers me twenty miles from home...

[ju66l3r]

I believe the location that the zip code centers on is the approximate location of the post office.

 

For my zipcode (02135), it is close, but a block or two off.

[+Team Perks]

I believe the location that the zip code centers on is the approximate location of the post office.

 

For my zipcode (02135), it is close, but a block or two off.

For my zip code, it centers out in the middle of nowhere, whereas the post office is just a few blocks from me. My guess was that it just guessed the geographical center of the Zip code...

[+welch]

I believe the location that the zip code centers on is the approximate location of the post office.

 

For my zipcode (02135), it is close, but a block or two off.

For my zip code, it centers out in the middle of nowhere, whereas the post office is just a few blocks from me. My guess was that it just guessed the geographical center of the Zip code...

I thought they were usually the location of the main headquarters PO for that zip. But then again I've never bothered to check out the ones here , if I needed an exact list I wouldn't use the zip code search anyways .

[+art begotti]

that would be cool if you could set up a search to show the closest cache to your co-ords... (there probably is a way, and i just dont know it... prolly similar to mapping the zip code described above.)

[Keystone]

that would be cool if you could set up a search to show the closest cache to your co-ords... (there probably is a way, and i just dont know it... prolly similar to mapping the zip code described above.)

Either use the "search by coordinates" feature on the hide and seek a cache page, or enter your home coordinates on your profile page. If you enter your home coordinates as part of your profile, you can run a search at any time for the nearest caches or nearest unfound caches, right from your "My Cache Page." The link for that search is at the top right of your "My Cache Page."

[+AuntieWeasel]

After you do your zip search, click the button.

Hey, neat! It works! Geez, that's where the center of my zip is? No wonder that search is so different from the one from my coords. I don't even recognize that neighborhood.

[+JoGPS]

The ZIP thing is pretty cool, by playing with it on a map you can do a cache that when you type in a zip it said your cache is here, try it zip 37219 ………. JOE

 

37219 the center of Nashville, TN

[+MoonHerb]

ZIP (Zone Improvement Plan) Code - Established in 1963, the system of 5-digit codes that identifies the individual post office or metropolitan area delivery station associated with an address. The first three digits identify the delivery area of a sectional center facility or a major-city post office serving the delivery address area. The next two (the fourth and fifth) digits identify the delivery area of an associate post office, post office branch, or post office station. All post offices are assigned at least one unique 5-digit code. ZIP+4 is an enhanced code consisting of the 5-digit ZIP Code and four additional digits that identify a specific range of delivery addresses. ZIP Code is a USPS trademark. (Also see two-pass.)

 

ZIP+4 - The nine-digit numeric code, established in 1981, composed of two parts: (a) The initial code: the first five digits that identify the sectional center facility and delivery area associated with the address, followed by a hyphen; and ( the four-digit expanded code: the first two additional digits designate the sector (a geographic area) and the last two digits designate the segment (a building, floor, etc.). ZIP+4 is a USPS trademark.

 

I got this from the US Postal site, which is funny because I thought they were a cycling team ??

 

It seems in the UK the postcode (our version of zip) is a little more specific (well, there are less of us !).

 

EC 1V 9 HQ

 

• 
   
  
• The first one or two letters is the postcode area and it identifies the main Royal Mail sorting office which will process the mail. In this case EC would go to the Mount Pleasant sorting office in London.
   
  
• The second part is usually just one or two numbers but for some parts of London it can be a number and a letter. This is the postcode district and tells the sorting office which delivery office the mail should go to.
   
  
• This third part is the sector and is usually just one number. This tells the delivery office which local area or neighbourhood the mail should go to.
   
  
• The final part of the postcode is the unit code which is always two letters. This identifies a group
  of up to 80 addresses and tells the delivery office which postal route (or walk) will deliver the item
   
  

 

 

I searched around the zip code '37219' , 2 miles radius and got 76 caches !!! Try that around my postcode - GL16 7AD !!

[+Muirwoody]

For a satellite map with a dot in the center of the zip code go to ACME Mapper Just fill in your zip code at the bottom and map it. Make sure "dot" is selected. When your map shows up you can change the scale at the top to zoom in or out. The map also links to nearby geocaches and benchmarks. Nice site.

[+Sputnik 57]

Seen a ZIP and want to know where it is? Try this very cool Ben Fry page. Just type in the zip and it zeros right in. I'll have to admit, though, that it reminds me of the east coast blackout a few years ago. SO glad Texas has its own power grid.

[+briansnat]

I believe the location that the zip code centers on is the approximate location of the post office.

 

Not true for my area. Ground zero when I enter my zip is about 4 miles from the PO. Oddly enough when I punch in my zip in mapblast, without my street number, the directions start from the same street corner that GC.com says is the ground zero for my zip.

 

It's not the geographic center of the town either. It's in the extreme western edge of town and a bit to the south.

 

Doesn't work for my parent's town either. First they have several PO branches and second, GC.com's ground zero is nowhere near any of the branches and again its the same spot where mapblast starts its directions. Don't know what the two have in common, but they appear to be using the same startyng point.

Edited August 20, 2004 by briansnat

[ju66l3r]

Alright, mine wasn't perfect either for the PO, but it was fairly close and I thought there was some mention of this in a post in the GC.com forum when they were switching mapping software.

 

Maybe we just need to nudge Jeremy or someone needs to open a similar post to this one in the GC.com forum to get the real answer instead of guessing until we get it right.

 

If I can markwell where I thought I heard about the PO info, I"ll edit this post or something...

[ju66l3r]

Ok...Markwell

 

See, not too hard...and has what I assume is the correct answer in it as well.

 

Evidently, the PO developed their borders in some locations to be very close to the centroid (Prime Suspect and I came up with the same answer in these threads), I guess...it would tend to make sense if the PO is old or the town fits a circle well or something.