This enables a slightly more nuanced approach to allocating data between disparate geographies. By using an allocation method based on residential addresses rather than by area or by population, analysts can take into account not only the spatial distribution of population, but also the spatial distribution of residences. The latter feature is of particular interest to housing researchers because many of the phenomena that they study are based on housing unit or address. They originate directly from the USPS are updated quarterly, making them highly responsive to changes in ZIP code configurations and reflect the locations of both business and residential addresses. These unique files are derived from data in the quarterly USPS Vacancy Data. To provide additional avenues for merging these data, PD&R has released the HUD-USPS Crosswalk Files. While some acceptable methods of combining ZIP codes and Census geography exist, they have limitations. There are valuable data available only at the ZIP code level that, when combined with demographic data tabulated at various Census geography levels, could open up new avenues of exploration. One of the many challenges that social science researchers and practitioners face is the difficulty of relating United States Postal Service (USPS) ZIP codes to Census Bureau geographies. HUD is not supplying USPS ZIP Code Crosswalks for 2000 Census geographies beyond the fourth quarter of 2011. USPS ZIP Code Crosswalk files are now available for 2010 Census geographies level beginning with the first quarter of 2012.

Note: ZIP to Congressional District and Congressional District to ZIP Crosswalk Files are now available

Īugust 2022 Update: The HUD-USPS ZIP Code Crosswalk API now supports a new feature to get crosswalk data for a specific state or for all states for a specific quarter. To create an account and get an access token, please visit the API page here. With this API, developers can easily access and customize crosswalk data for use in existing applications or to create new applications. HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) is pleased to announce that HUD-USPS ZIP Code Crosswalk data are now available via an application programming interface (API).

Zip code msa crosswalk