Programmers don't fully understand addresses

Nerds.

While programmers/coders/engineers are extremely clever, we've found they may not fully understand addresses. 

Sure, they're ready to talk about variables, loops, arrays, the scope of stuff, callbacks, hosting, events, overloading, pattern matching, packets, elements, and more. But if you point out that most house numbering starts at "1" and not "0," their heads may explode.

We've worked with quite a few developers and helped them understand the facts around address data, beginning with our own engineers. Here are a few `false` notions that seem to keep popping up and kicking them in the teeth.

* Note: A lot of this data comes from the eye-opening revelations of our own developers. If you’d like to learn more specifics, you can check out our Address Data Masterclass, which was put on by one of our developers, Adam Charlton.

Lies programmers (and many people) tell themselves about addresses

Address structure and components

1. All addresses start with a building number
   • Reality: Addresses can start with building names, landmarks, or even just a postal code. PO Boxes, military addresses, or international addresses are great examples of this.
2. Building numbers are always numeric
   • Reality: Building numbers can include letters or be alphanumeric (e.g., "A," "4-5," etc.). Lookin' at you, Wisconsin.
3. No building has both a name and a number
   • Reality: It's common for addresses to include both a building name and a number (e.g., "Ziggurat Building, 60-66").
4. A building will have only one number
   • Reality: Buildings can have multiple numbers, especially in large complexes or when new structures are added. This is sometimes called "alias," meaning a building, street, or address can have multiple designations.
5. Street names don't include numbers
   • Reality: Some street names include numbers, either written out or as digits (e.g., "8 Seven Gardens").
6. Street names always end with descriptors like 'Street' or 'Avenue.'
   • Reality: Some street names don't have any descriptor, like "Piccadilly" in London. Streets in Utah are frequently called "200 West" and don't have "street" or "lane" listed after them. Hundreds of possible street suffixes are available, so standardizing means knowing which ones are real.
7. Addresses always include a street name
   • Reality: Addresses might not include a street name at all, relying instead on landmarks or directions (e.g., "50 miles west of Socorro"). This becomes especially true when dealing with global addresses.
8. An address will always fit into a fixed number of lines
   • Reality: Some addresses, particularly those for large organizations or detailed instructions, require more space than typical forms allow.
9. Place names don't contain rude or unexpected words
   • Reality: There are places with names that might raise eyebrows, requiring careful handling in databases.
10. An address will be written in ASCII or Latin characters
    • Reality: Addresses can include characters from a wide variety of scripts, not just Latin-based ones.
11. Every address includes a primary number and street name
    • Reality: When dealing with addresses in multiple countries, you'll find that some addresses might omit one or both, especially in regions where landmarks or directions are used instead. London, for example…
12. Street suffixes and directions are always consistent
    • Reality: The use of suffixes (like "Street" or "Avenue") and directions (like "North" or "West") can vary widely, and some addresses may not include them at all.
13. Secondary designators are unnecessary
    • Reality: Secondary designators (like apartment or suite numbers) are critical for ensuring the correct delivery, especially in multi-unit buildings.

Address formatting and standardization

1. There’s a single definition of a valid address
   • Reality: What constitutes a "valid" address varies depending on its use case. For example, an address valid for real estate purposes may not be suitable for package delivery.
2. Standardizing addresses is straightforward
   • Reality: Improperly standardizing addresses can lead to significant issues, such as misdelivery or lost shipments. The right standardization depends on an organization's specific needs and goals.
3. Postal addresses will always be listed in a standard format
   • Reality: Address formats vary significantly worldwide—even among cities in the United States—including the order of street, building, and area names.
4. Military addresses follow the same rules as civilian ones
   • Reality: Military addresses can follow unique formats and often involve special ZIP Codes that don't align with typical geographic areas, making them trickier to standardize and validate.
5. All addresses exist in the postal service's database
   • Reality: New or temporary addresses may not yet be included in official postal databases.
6. Addresses are fixed and don’t change over time
   • Reality: Addresses can change due to administrative shifts, renaming, or redevelopment.

ZIP Codes and geocoding

1. ZIP Codes are always straightforward
   • Reality: ZIP Codes can be confusing, as they can overlap areas, cross state or county boundaries, and correspond to street segments rather than whole cities or towns.
2. A single postcode corresponds to an area of land
   • Reality: In some places, a single postcode can cover a small area or even just one building, like the Empire State Building.
3. ZIP+4 Codes are redundant and unimportant
   • Reality: ZIP+4 Codes add precision to delivery, narrowing down the location within a street or block, which can be essential for accurate deliveries. Some addresses require a ZIP+4 Code in order to deliver properly.
4. All geocodes are equally accurate
   • Reality: The accuracy of geocodes varies, with different levels suited to different purposes—precision matters, especially in applications requiring rooftop-level accuracy.
5. All addresses in the same ZIP Code share the same delivery characteristics
   • Reality: Even within a ZIP Code area, there are specific routes that may have unique delivery requirements and protocols.
6. PO Box addresses are just simplified street addresses
   • Reality: PO Box addresses can be tied to specific ZIP Codes and may not correspond to a geographic location at all, complicating geocoding and validation efforts.

Address uniqueness and validation challenges

1. A building number is used only once per street
   • Reality: Multiple buildings on the same street can share the same number, and streets themselves can have similar names in nearby areas. There are even addresses that only differ by ZIP+4 Code. Mind blown, right?
2. Building numbers are sequential with no gaps
   • Reality: Building numbers can skip numbers, repeat, or be based on distances rather than sequences.
3. Addresses on one side of a street are odd; the other even
   • Reality: While this is frequently the case, there are streets with even numbers on both sides, and in some cases, streets may not follow the odd/even rule at all.
4. An address always indicates a physical location
   • Reality: Addresses like PO Boxes, military addresses, or rural route numbers may not point to a specific physical location but are common addresses.
5. Each person has one fixed address
   • Reality: People might have multiple addresses, such as home, work, and seasonal residences.

Did this help you? Or did it just confuse the pants off of you?

Luckily, you don't have to memorize all of this. Let Smarty handle the details. You just run your addresses through our tools. We can verify, validate, and even give you accurate geocodes and census data.

Still scared? Tissues are on aisle 5. You can also call our address experts to talk through it. We’ve got your back.