cogman10Sep 2025Strongly recommends
If you find this interesting and you haven't watched it, Go watch "The hidden pattern in post codes" [1] [1] ▶ this video
in “Zip Code Map of the United States” · View on HN
Your Post Code Is the Directions, Not the Destination
Your Post Code Is the Directions, Not the Destination on HackerTube: recommended by 4 Hacker News commenters across 4 separate months, 2025.
CGP Grey
Open on YouTubeexplainer · evergreen
CGP Grey explains that postal codes are routing instructions for mail rather than geographic regions. He looks at the quirks and problems this causes.
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN recommends it whenever zip codes, addresses or geospatial data come up, as a clear explanation of the hidden pattern in post codes.
- people recommended it
- 4
- separate months
- 4
- strong recommendations
- 1
- discussed on HN
- 2025
“If you find this interesting and you haven't watched it, Go watch”
What HN commenters said
4 Hacker News comments link this video. Each one links back to its thread.
ArnavionMay 2025Recommends
See also this CGP Grey video where he talks about post codes / zip codes in general and mentions Ireland's system. ▶ this video
in “Japan Post launches 'digital address' system” · View on HN
schlauerfoxApr 2025Recommends
CGP Grey, a youtube channel, has a video on some of the problems of the postal codes and addresses from earlier this year that I learned about alternates to my familiar US based system. ▶ this video
in “I wrote to the address in the GPLv2 license notice (2022)” · View on HN
jpjoiFeb 2025Recommends
Zip codes are just weird to use for anything other than mail in general because they’re set up based off infrastructure. CGP Grey has a great video on this: ▶ this video
in “Stop using zip codes for geospatial analysis (2019)” · View on HN
Topics & tags
Business & economics (other)Ideas & learning (other)zip codesaddressesgeographypostal systemcgp grey