Every day calls come in and emails are sent with such a variety of questions. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions I get.

1. When are you going to update your database with current Income per Household and Average House Value data?
2. Why is the ZIP Code listed more than once in your database?
3. Why am I missing states in the Excel download?
4. Why are there 3 & 4 digit ZIP Codes in your Excel spreadsheet?
5. How often is the database updated?
6. Do you offer secure FTP accounts?
7. How many users are included in the purchase price?
8. What format does the database come in?
9. What are the sources of your data?
10. What are the last 4 digits for my ZIP Code?
11. Can you tell me the number to my local post office?
12. Why do some ZIP Codes have missing latitude and longitude data?
13. Why should we buy data from you?

When are you going to update your database with current Income per Household and Average House Value data?

This question is on everyone’s mind right now. Truth is, we have the most current data available. The Census Bureau has not released an update for this at the ZIP Code level yet. The last update was with the 2000 Census. Since then, they have been collecting this data with the American Community Survey, which is why it was not part of the 2010 Census. We’ve been told that the update will be sometime at the end of 2012.  Unfortunately we just have wait a little longer.

Why is the ZIP Code listed more than once in your database?

Each ZIP Code has a record for its primary city name and any aliases that may be associated with it. If a ZIP Code has 10 city alias names, 10 records will be listed. If you look at the “CityAliasName” field you will notice that the entry will be different for each one. If you are only interested the “primary” city name for a ZIP Code, simply sort your database by the “PrimaryRecord” and keep everything with a “P”. By doing this you’ve weeded out all the alternate names for the ZIP Code.

Why am I missing states in the Excel download?

All of our U.S. ZIP Code Databases contain data for every state in the U.S. If you only have half the states, you only opened one file. Since our database contains over 80,000 rows of data, it was necessary to split the Excel file in two, to accommodate our customers using older versions of the program. If you’re using Excel 2007 or later, download the CSV file. That is not split and will open up right into an Excel Workbook for you.

Why are there 3 & 4 digit ZIP Codes in your Excel spreadsheet?

All U.S ZIP Codes are 5 digit’s long. Excel drops the leading zeros of the ZIP Code because it interprets the column as numeric data. There’s an easy fix to this. In Excel, highlight the ZIP Code column. Right click your mouse and choose “Format Cells”. Under the “Number” tab select “Special”. Make sure the “Type” is set to “Zip Code” and then click “OK”. You’ll notice all those leading zeros have been added back in. You can find more detailed instructions by clicking here.

How often is the database updated?

Our ZIP Code Databases are updated monthly, usually around the 1^st or 2^nd of each month. Email notices will be sent notifying you of the changes.

Do you offer secure FTP accounts?

Yes we do. Just call us at 1.800.425.1169, or email us at info@zip-codes.com with your username and we will get things set up for you.

How many users are included in the purchase price?

The ZIP Code Database is a single organization license. You can use the product an unlimited number of times by an unlimited number of users within your organization. If you intend to distribute our data outside of your organization, please inquire about our redistribution licenses for U.S., Canada and Mexico.

What format does the database come in?

Our U.S. ZIP Code, Canadian Postal Code and Mexican Postal Code databases are available in three (3) formats: Microsoft® Access [MDB], Microsoft® Excel [XLS], and ASCII Comma Delimited [CSV]. Our U.S. ZIP +4 Database is available as an ASCII Comma Delimited [CSV].

What are the sources of your data?

Our ZIP Code Database is licensed and compiled from various sources. Postal and Delivery data comes from the USPS, Canada Post, Demographic data from the U.S. Census, Statistical Areas from the OMB (Office of Management & Budget), private data sources, and some are computed by Zip-Codes.com.

What are the last 4 digits for my ZIP Code?

The last 4 digits of a ZIP Code, “or the ZIP +4”, are very specific to a street address. If you know the address, you can find the full 9-digit ZIP Code on our website.

Can you tell me the number to my local post office?

No, I can’t, but if you visit the U.S. Postal Service you will find what you need there.

Why do some ZIP Codes have missing latitude and longitude data?

Sometimes a ZIP Code is brand new, and the latitude & longitude has not been released yet. It could also be a ZIP Code that is only used for mailing purposes (for example, post office boxes, or over seas military mailing). Since these ZIP Codes do not point to a specific geographical location they will not have a latitude & longitude.

Though rare, there are certain ZIP Codes that never get a latitude & longitude. Even though we are never told why, we assume it’s for security reasons.

We go though our geocoding process monthly. Once the latitude & longitude coordinates are released, it is added to our database.

Why should we buy data from you?

We are a U.S. company and have been in business since 2003. We are licensed to distribute ZIP Code and Postal Code data. Our databases are updated monthly and verified in an automated fashion, giving the user current and precise data.

We give you more data so your company will have a competitive advantage in its efforts. Our data is precise, and we charge less than half of what many of our main competitors charge. This combination has brought us to the top of our industry.  Not to mention we have the best customer support around. Call us and then try calling our competitors.

If you have a question and you didn’t find the answer here, please do not hesitate to contact us. You can also read through our other FAQ’s on our website.