Address Range Matching

Some business locations are identified by address ranges. For example, a shopping plaza could be addressed as 10-12 Front St. This is how business mail is typically addressed to such a business location. These address ranges can be geocoded to the interpolated mid-point of the range.

Address ranges are different from hyphenated (dashed) addresses that occur in some metropolitan areas. For example, a hyphenated address in Queens County (New York City) could be 243-20 147 Ave. This represents a single residence (rather than an address range) and is geocoded as a single address. If a hyphenated address returns as an exact match, Spectrum Technology Platform does not attempt to obtain an address range match.

Address range matching is not available in Exact or CASS modes, since an address range is not an actual, mailable USPS® address. The following fields are not returned by address range geocoding:

  • ZIP + 4® (in multiple segment cases)
  • Delivery point
  • Check digit
  • Carrier route
  • Record type
  • Multi-unit
  • Default flag

Address range matching works within the following guidelines:

  • There must be two numbers separated by a hyphen.
  • The first number must be lower than the second number.
  • Both numbers must be of the same parity (odd or even) unless the address range itself has mixed odd and even addresses.
  • Numbers can be on the same street segment or can be on two different segments. The segments do not have to be contiguous.
  • If both numbers are on the same street segment, the geocoded point is interpolated to the approximate mid-point of the range.
  • If the numbers are on two different segments, the geocoded point is based on the last valid house number of the first segment. The ZIP Code and FIPS Code are based on the first segment.
  • In all cases, odd/even parity is evaluated to place the point on the correct side of the street.