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In 1963 the Post Office Department introduced the Zone Improvement Plan (ZIP) Code as a means to allow mail sorting methods to become faster and eventually be automated, but the innovation also created unimagined socio-economic benefits as an organizing and enabling device. The Untold Story of the ZIP Code | Office of Inspector General OIG uspsoig.gov https://.uspsoig.gov › reports › white-papers › untol... uspsoig.gov https://.uspsoig.gov › reports › white-papers › untol...

The first digit in a ZIP code represents a defined group of U.S. states. The second and third digits represent a region in that group, such as a large city. To send mail, only the first five digits of the ZIP code are required.

The extra 4 digits on ZIP Codes identify segments of fluid postal delivery routes. They're not permanent lines, so a 9 digits ZIP Code can change regularly. Five-digit ZIP Codes also change, but they do so infrequently; it's less likely that you will live in a ZIP Code when it changes. ZIP+4 Code Lookup, Get Last 4 Digits of 9-Digit ZIP Codes smarty.com https://.smarty.com › articles › zip-4-code smarty.com https://.smarty.com › articles › zip-4-code

ZIP is an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan. However, the USPS intentionally chose the acronym to indicate that mail travels more quickly when senders mark the postal code on their packages and envelopes.

[2] The first three digits of the ZIP code were invented by Robert A. Moon, who came up with a system for dividing the country into approximately 900 geographical areas. Eventually, H. Bentley Hahn contributed the fourth and fifth digits, which added further precision to geographic locales.

So what do the extra numbers mean? These last 4 digits represent specific delivery routes within delivery areas. This extra detail means an even more precise matching to a more granular level. It could represent a handful of houses on one side of a street, or even a single building that receives a high volume of mail.

July 1, 1963 The five-digit ZIP code plan was announced to the public on November 28, 1962 and implemented on July 1, 1963. Papers of H. Bentley Hahn: The Man Who Invented the 5-Digit ZIP Code archives.gov https://jfk.blogs.archives.gov › 2021/07/01 › papers-of-h... archives.gov https://jfk.blogs.archives.gov › 2021/07/01 › papers-of-h...