Geocode
Overview
Geocode (or geocoding) is the process of converting addresses or place names into geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) for mapping and spatial analysis in a GIS. Geocoding enables the visualization and analysis of address-based data on maps.
Key Concepts
Address parsing breaks an address into components (street, city, zip). Address matching compares parsed address to reference data. Interpolation estimates location along a street segment from address range. Rooftop geocoding returns precise building location. Match score indicates confidence in the geocode result. Reverse geocoding converts coordinates back to addresses.
Geocoding Methods
| Method | Accuracy | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rooftop | High | Precise building location |
| Parcel centroid | High | Center of property parcel |
| Street interpolation | Medium | Estimated along block |
| ZIP centroid | Low | Center of ZIP code |
| City centroid | Low | Center of city |
Geocoding Services
- Google Geocoding API
- US Census Geocoder
- OpenStreetMap Nominatim
- Esri World Geocoder
- HERE Geocoding
Appendix
Created: 2025-12-13 | Modified: 2025-12-13
See Also
- Coordinates
- Geographic Information System (GIS)
- Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER)
- Georeference