Why do we use address-level geocoding rather than ZIP code-level geocoding?
• Address-level geocoding pinpoints addresses on a street level map unlike ZIP code geocoding which uses the centroid of a ZIP code zone as the reference point for all addresses within that ZIP code. • Street-level data fit neatly within even the smallest legislative districts, accurately linking citizens to their national, state and local elected officials. • In many cases, ZIP code boundaries don’t match legislative district boundaries. In fact, ZIP code zones are larger than many city council districts. Using ZIP code geocoding in these cases returns large numbers of incorrectly geocoded addresses – assigned to an incorrect legislative district, and consequently the wrong elected officials.
