Historical ZIP+4 Database - Track address changes over time

Historical ZIP+4 Database

218+ Months of 9-Digit ZIP+4 Publications for Address Validation & Historical Geocoding

Address-Level Precision
Track Changes Over Time
No Recurring Fees
Monthly Snapshots
30-Day Guarantee
200+
Monthly Publications
Since 2007 (Standard)
Sept 2007+
Historical Coverage
18+ years of data
$7.33/Mo
Average Cost
All 200+ months
48.5M
Records Per Month
62 state files each

Choose Your Historical Edition

One-time purchase • Complete archives from 2007-2018 depending on edition • No recurring fees

Premium Edition

$2,499

Best for: Street-level centroid analysis, mapping projects

  • 84+ months (Dec 2018-Present)
  • 40 data fields (includes centroids)
  • Street-level coordinates (80% complete)
  • Census Block Group data included
  • Redistribution available ($4,999)

Deluxe Edition

$7,500

Best for: Precision logistics, enterprise geocoding applications

  • 170+ months (Dec 2010-Present)
  • 40 data fields (includes centroids)
  • Building-level coordinates (95% complete)
  • Highest accuracy centroids available
  • Redistribution not available

Edition Comparison

Feature Standard Premium Deluxe
Historical Range Sept 2007-Present Dec 2018-Present Dec 2010-Present
Months Included 217+ publications 84+ publications 170+ publications
Data Fields 31 fields 40 fields 40 fields
Centroid Coordinates Not included Street-level (80%) Building-level (95%)
Census Block Group
Complete Archive Price $1,599
($7.36/month avg)
$2,499
($29.75/month avg)
$7,500
($44.12/month avg)
Best For Address validation,
long-term research
Mapping projects,
proximity analysis
Precision routing,
enterprise applications
Redistribution Rights Available
($2,999)
Available
($4,999)
Not Available
What's Included

Every purchase includes:

  • Complete monthly snapshots for the edition's date range
  • All 62 state/territory files per month (CSV format)
  • Perpetual license - no expiration, no recurring fees
  • Free technical support via email and phone

Why Choose Historical ZIP+4 Data?

Compelling reasons to access point-in-time address-level data

Validate Historical Addresses

Validate street-level addressing and find the exact ZIP+4 codes for addresses as they existed in legacy systems. Perfect for cleaning old customer databases, verifying historical records, or matching addresses that predate recent carrier route changes.

Example: A 2015 address may have had a different ZIP+4 code before a route split. Our data shows exactly what it was.

Meet Compliance & Audit Requirements

Audits and compliance often require address data "as it existed on [specific date]". Our historical publications provide point-in-time ZIP+4 accuracy you can document and verify, essential for regulatory compliance and legal requirements.

Example: Prove USPS delivery capability for a specific address on a specific date for legal proceedings or compliance audits.

Track Address Range Evolution

Analyze how street address ranges, carrier routes, and delivery zones evolved over time. See when streets were added, ZIP+4 codes were split, or carrier route territories changed—valuable for logistics planning and territory analysis.

Example: Track when a new development was added to the USPS system and how delivery routes were reorganized to accommodate growth.

Track Centroid Accuracy Evolution

Premium (since 2018) and Deluxe (since 2010) editions let you see how geocoding accuracy improved over time. Compare historical centroid coordinates to current ones, perfect for backfilling old mapping projects or understanding coordinate precision changes.

Example: See how the building-level centroid for an address improved from approximate street-level (2018) to precise rooftop coordinates (2025).

Premium & Deluxe Only
Same Quality Standards

Historical ZIP+4 data uses the same USPS-licensed sources as our current database. Each publication contains data exactly as it existed at that point in time—no reconstructions or estimates.

Plus:

  • Perpetual License: Buy once, own forever. No recurring fees or subscriptions.
  • ZIP Code Database Included: Every month includes the matching 5-digit ZIP Code Database with full city names, area codes, time zones, and demographics.
  • Centroid Tracking: Premium and Deluxe editions include historical centroid coordinates, letting you track geocoding accuracy improvements from 2010/2018 to present.
Learn about our quality process →

Explore a Live Sample with our Data Explorer


What you're seeing: Live data from our current database. We do not have historical data available for this, but it shows the same Columns and Structure. Select a state to see records in that, then drill down to a county. Switch between editions to compare data fields.
Version: Deluxe Premium Standard

Loading ZIP+4 Database Sample

Connecting to our live database for real, current data from our U.S. ZIP Code Database.

What You'll See:

  • 40 data fields per ZIP+4
  • Geographic coordinates
  • Street Level Data
  • Even/Odd Sides of street

Interactive Features:

  • Filter by state
  • Drill down by county
  • Compare all Versions
  • Sort and explore all fields
  • Exactly what you're purchasing
Pro Tip: Use the filters above to explore data for your specific state, county, and editions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to common questions about our Historical ZIP+4 Database

The only difference is the time frame. Historical publications contain the exact same data structure as our current edition databases—just frozen at a specific point in time.

Current ZIP+4 Database:

  • Latest data, updated monthly on the 1st
  • Annual subscription with 12 monthly updates
  • Best for ongoing business operations
  • Three editions: Standard (31 fields), Premium (40 fields), Deluxe (40 fields)

Historical ZIP+4 Database:

  • Point-in-time data from 2007-2018 depending on edition
  • One-time purchase, no updates
  • Best for research, compliance, address validation, historical geocoding
  • Same three editions with identical field structures

Both use the same USPS-licensed sources and maintain the same data quality standards.

Both editions have 40 fields and include centroid coordinates, but they differ in three key areas:

Feature Premium Deluxe
Historical Range Dec 2018–Present
(84+ months)
Dec 2010–Present
(170+ months)
Centroid Source Street-level
(80% complete)
Building-based
(95% complete, higher accuracy)
Redistribution ✓ Available
($4,999)
✗ Not Available
Price $2,499 $7,500

Best use cases:

  • Premium: Mapping projects, proximity analysis, territory management—where street-level accuracy is sufficient
  • Deluxe: Precision logistics, enterprise geocoding, delivery routing—where building-level accuracy is essential

Bottom line: Premium offers excellent value for most applications. Deluxe provides the longest history (back to 2010) and highest coordinate accuracy for mission-critical applications.

Choose based on your specific needs:

Choose Standard ($1,599) if you need:

  • The longest historical range (Sept 2007–Present, 217+ months)
  • Address validation and carrier route data
  • Basic ZIP+4 fields without coordinates
  • The most cost-effective option ($7.36/month average)
  • Redistribution rights available ($2,999)

Choose Premium ($2,499) if you need:

  • Street-level centroid coordinates (80% complete)
  • Census Block Group data
  • Historical geocoding for mapping projects
  • Data since Dec 2018 (84+ months)
  • Redistribution rights available ($4,999)

Choose Deluxe ($7,500) if you need:

  • Building-level centroid coordinates (95% complete, highest accuracy)
  • Extended history back to Dec 2010 (170+ months)
  • Precision logistics and enterprise geocoding applications
  • The most accurate coordinates available
  • Note: Redistribution not available for Deluxe

Still unsure? Contact us at 1-800-425-1169 and we'll help you choose the right edition for your project.

Each edition reflects when that product was introduced:

  • Standard (Sept 2007): Our original ZIP+4 product launch. We've been archiving every month since then.
  • Deluxe (Dec 2010): Introduced when building-based centroid data became available through our primary data supplier.
  • Premium (Dec 2018): Created as a mid-tier option after licensing changes made Deluxe significantly more expensive. Premium provides street-level centroids at a more accessible price point.

What this means for you:

  • If you need data before 2010, Standard is your only option
  • If you need centroid coordinates before 2018, Deluxe is required
  • For most recent needs (2018+), both Premium and Deluxe are available

We maintain archives from each edition's launch date forward, giving you complete monthly coverage for each product tier.

Historical coverage varies by edition:

  • Standard Edition: September 2007–Present
    • 217+ monthly publications
    • 18+ years of historical coverage
    • 31 data fields per record
  • Deluxe Edition: December 2010–Present
    • 170+ monthly publications
    • 15+ years of historical coverage
    • 40 data fields including building-level centroids
  • Premium Edition: December 2018–Present
    • 84+ monthly publications
    • 7+ years of historical coverage
    • 40 data fields including street-level centroids

Monthly granularity: All editions provide complete monthly snapshots, allowing precise point-in-time analysis for any month in the available range.

Data freshness: Historical data maintains a 3-6 month lag behind our current database to ensure customers select the right product for their needs.

Historical data maintains a 3-6 month lag to ensure customers select the right product for their needs.

The reasoning:

  • Historical is designed for past research and compliance, not recent data needs
  • Current database is better suited for ongoing business operations requiring fresh data
  • This helps customers choose the appropriate solution and pricing model

Which should you choose?

  • Need data from the last few months? Use our current ZIP+4 database with monthly updates
  • Need data from a specific past date? Historical is perfect
  • Analyzing address changes over years? Complete Historical Archive is ideal

Still unsure? Contact us and we'll help you choose.

Yes, Premium and Deluxe editions include centroid coordinates (CenLat/CenLon). Standard does not.

Technical specifications:

  • Standard Edition: No centroid coordinates included
  • Premium Edition: Street-level centroids, 80% completion rate, WGS84 datum, 6 decimal precision
  • Deluxe Edition: Building-based centroids, 95% completion rate, WGS84 datum, 6 decimal precision (significantly higher accuracy)

Perfect for these use cases:

  • Historical geocoding: Backfill coordinates for old address records in your database
  • Mapping projects: Plot addresses as they existed at specific points in time
  • Proximity analysis: Calculate distances and territories using historical locations
  • Accuracy tracking: Compare how centroid precision improved from 2010/2018 to present

Important: Do NOT use FromLatitude/FromLongitude or ToLatitude/ToLongitude

These fields are legacy data from an abandoned USPS/Census project (circa 2010). They are not maintained and should not be relied upon for any application. Use CenLat/CenLon (Premium/Deluxe only) for all geocoding needs.

Example: If you have customer addresses from 2015 that were never geocoded, you can use our Dec 2015 historical publication (Premium or Deluxe) to get coordinates as they existed at that time.

Yes! Every historical month includes the matching 5-digit ZIP Code Database.

What's included:

  • City names: USPS preferred city name and acceptable aliases
  • Area codes: Phone area codes serving that ZIP
  • Time zones: Time zone and DST observance
  • Demographics: Population, household counts, median income, home values (where available)
  • County details: Full county names and FIPS codes
  • Geographic data: Coordinates, land/water area

Edition pairing:

  • ZIP+4 Standard → ZIP Code Standard
  • ZIP+4 Premium → ZIP Code Deluxe
  • ZIP+4 Deluxe → ZIP Code Deluxe

Why this matters: The ZIP+4 database focuses on address-level detail, while the ZIP Code Database provides city names, demographics, and other data not included in ZIP+4 records. Together, they give you complete historical addressing and geographic context.

For complete field specifications and join keys, see our detailed technical comparison.

Yes! The CarrierRoute field is 100% populated across all historical records.

What you can track:

  • Territory reorganizations: See when the USPS split or merged carrier routes
  • Route assignments: Track which addresses belonged to which routes at specific points in time
  • Growth patterns: Identify when new routes were created for developing areas
  • Delivery zones: Understand historical delivery zone boundaries for logistics planning

Carrier route types:

  • C###: City delivery routes
  • R###: Rural route
  • H###: Highway contract route
  • B###: PO Box route
  • G###: General delivery route

Example use case: A logistics company wants to understand how USPS delivery territories evolved in a growing suburban area from 2010-2025. By comparing historical carrier route assignments, they can see when routes were split and how boundaries changed as the area developed.

Technical note: Changes typically occur during December/January when Congressional District updates take effect, though growth areas may see changes throughout the year.

Yes! Premium and Deluxe editions are perfect for backfilling coordinates on historical address records.

Common scenarios:

  • Legacy database migration: You're moving old customer data to a new system and need to add coordinates
  • Historical mapping: Creating maps showing locations as they existed at specific points in time
  • Research projects: Academic or market research requiring precise historical location data
  • Compliance documentation: Proving location accuracy "as of [date]" for audit purposes

How it works:

  1. Identify the time period when your addresses were created (e.g., 2015-2020)
  2. Purchase the Premium or Deluxe historical archive for that period
  3. Match your addresses against the historical ZIP+4 data from those months
  4. Extract the CenLat/CenLon coordinates for each matched address
  5. Import coordinates back into your database

Accuracy considerations:

  • Premium: Street-level accuracy (80% complete) - good for most mapping applications
  • Deluxe: Building-level accuracy (95% complete) - best for precision requirements
  • Both editions use WGS84 datum with 6 decimal precision (~4 inch accuracy)

Bonus feature: You can also track how coordinate accuracy improved over time by comparing the same address across multiple historical publications (e.g., 2010 vs 2025).

UpdateKey is a unique identifier assigned by the USPS to each ZIP+4 record. It's the only field guaranteed to be unique across the entire dataset.

Why not use ZIP+Plus4Low+Plus4High?

Multiple records can share the same ZIP+4 combination if they represent different address ranges, buildings, or record types. The UpdateKey ensures you can uniquely identify each record.

Database implementation:

-- Always use UpdateKey as primary key
CREATE TABLE zip4_historical_2015_01 (
    UpdateKey VARCHAR(10) PRIMARY KEY,
    ZipCode CHAR(5) NOT NULL,
    Plus4Low CHAR(4),
    Plus4High CHAR(4),
    -- ... other fields
    INDEX idx_zipcode (ZipCode),
    INDEX idx_carrier_route (CarrierRoute)
);

Joining to ZIP Code Database:

Use the PreferredLastLineKey field to join ZIP+4 to the 5-digit ZIP Code Database:

-- Join historical ZIP+4 to historical ZIP Code DB
SELECT 
    z4.ZipCode,
    z4.Plus4Low,
    z4.StName,
    zc.City,
    zc.AreaCode,
    zc.TimeZone
FROM zip4_historical_2015_01 z4
LEFT JOIN zipcode_historical_2015_01 zc 
    ON z4.PreferredLastLineKey = zc.PreferredLastLineKey
WHERE z4.ZipCode = '10001';

Key takeaway: Always use UpdateKey for record identity and PreferredLastLineKey for joining to the ZIP Code Database. Never assume ZIP+Plus4 combinations are unique.

Yes! This is one of the primary use cases for historical ZIP+4 data - both validation AND geocoding.

Address Validation - Perfect for:

  • Cleaning up legacy customer databases with old addresses
  • Verifying that street addresses and 9-digit ZIP+4 codes were correct at a specific point in time
  • Validating carrier route assignments from historical records
  • Compliance requirements needing historical address verification

Historical Geocoding - Perfect for:

  • Backfilling coordinates for addresses that were never geocoded (Premium/Deluxe only)
  • Creating historical maps showing locations as they existed at specific times
  • Adding centroid data to legacy systems for proximity analysis
  • Documenting location accuracy "as of [date]" for legal/audit purposes

How validation works:

  1. Match your old addresses against the ZIP+4 data from the month/year those addresses were created
  2. Verify the street name, address range, and ZIP+4 code were valid at that time
  3. Extract carrier route information if needed
  4. If using Premium/Deluxe, also extract CenLat/CenLon coordinates

Example use case: You have customer records from 2012 with addresses that no longer validate against current ZIP+4 data (perhaps ZIP codes were split or carrier routes reorganized). Using our January 2012 historical publication, you can verify those addresses were correct when created, and if using Premium or Deluxe, also get the coordinates as they existed in 2012.

For ongoing address validation needs, consider our ZIP Code API for real-time validation against current data.

Every historical month includes multiple formats for maximum compatibility:

Primary formats included:

  • CSV (Comma Separated Values): Universal format, works with Excel, databases, programming languages
  • Microsoft Access (.accdb): Ready-to-use Access database with indexed tables
  • Microsoft Excel (.xlsx): Spreadsheet format for smaller datasets and quick analysis
  • SQL Scripts: MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, and SQLite CREATE TABLE and import scripts

File structure:

  • 62 state files: One file per state/territory per month (e.g., ZIP4-NY-2015-01.csv)
  • ZIP Code Database files: Matching 5-digit ZIP Code data in same formats
  • Documentation: Field specifications and data dictionary
  • Transaction files: Available separately upon request (some gaps may exist)

Character encoding: All files use UTF-8 encoding without BOM for maximum compatibility.

Download sizes vary by edition and month, typically 1-8 GB compressed per complete monthly publication.

No—historical publications are point-in-time data and do not receive updates.

This is by design. Historical data represents exactly what existed at a specific moment, which is essential for:

  • Compliance and audit requirements
  • Validating addresses as they existed on a specific date
  • Research requiring consistent historical reference points
  • Legal documentation requiring "as of [date]" accuracy

Your purchase includes:

  • One-time purchase with perpetual access
  • No recurring fees or subscription
  • Data remains available for download from your account
  • All formats included (CSV, Access, Excel, SQL)

Need ongoing updates? Consider our current ZIP+4 database with monthly updates and annual subscription.

While we don't offer specific historical month samples, you can explore the data structure in several ways:

1. Use our Data Explorer above:

Shows current data structure with all fields. Historical publications use identical structure with point-in-time values.

2. Download our current edition sample files:

Historical data uses the same field structure—just different dates

3. 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee:

Every purchase is backed by our unconditional guarantee. If the historical data doesn't meet your needs, contact us within 30 days for a full refund.

Questions about the data? Contact us at 1-800-425-1169 and we'll help you determine if historical data is right for your project.

Transaction files are available separately upon request for certain historical months.

What are transaction files?

Transaction files contain only the records that changed between monthly publications (adds, deletes, updates). They're much smaller than full files and useful for tracking specific changes over time.

Availability:

  • Transaction files available separately upon request
  • Some gaps may exist in the historical archive
  • Not included with standard historical purchase
  • Contact us for specific month availability

Typical use cases:

  • Tracking when specific ZIP+4 codes were added or changed
  • Analyzing carrier route reorganizations month-by-month
  • Building a timeline of address range splits or merges
  • Documenting the exact date a specific change occurred

Interested in transaction files? Contact us with your specific date range and we'll check availability and pricing.

Still Have Questions?

Contact our team for personalized assistance.

Email: info@zip-codes.com | Phone: 1-800-425-1169

Sources & References


Historical publications contain data as it existed at the time of release. Sources include the United States Postal Service, U.S. Census Bureau (Census 2000, 2010, and 2020 data by era), U.S. Geological Survey, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and other trusted federal agencies. Each monthly publication represents the exact data we provided to customers at that point in time, ensuring historical accuracy for research, compliance, and validation purposes.

  1. U.S. Postal Service [Historical Publications: 10/2004-], https://www.usps.com
  2. ZIP-Codes.com Proprietary Data Enhancements [Historical Archive], https://www.zip-codes.com
  3. U.S. Census Bureau [Multiple Eras], https://www.census.gov
    • Census 2000 [Decennial] - Used in early publications (~2004-2010)
    • Census 2010 [Decennial] - Used in mid-period publications (~2010-2023)
    • Census 2020 Demographic & Housing Characteristics (DHC) [Decennial] - Used in recent publications (2023+)
    • American Community Survey (ACS) [Annual] - Various years as released
    • U.S. Census Business Patterns (CBD) [Annual] - Various years as released
    • American National Standards Institute (ANSI) [As Released]
    • Office of Management and Budget (OMB) [As Released]
  4. U.S. Geological Survey [As Released], https://www.usgs.gov
  5. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [Annual], https://www.cms.gov
  6. National Center for Education Statistics [As Released], https://nces.ed.gov
Portions of data are provided by the United States Postal Service and are © 2004-2025. Zip-Codes.com is a non-exclusive licensee of the United States Postal Service.