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Your Post Code Is the Directions, Not the Destination

CGP Grey · explainer · Watch on YouTube

Business & economics (other)Ideas & learning (other)

What it is

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.

  • 4 people recommended it
  • 4 different months
  • 1 strong recommendations
  • first 2025, last 2025

What HN commenters said

  1. “If you find this interesting and you haven't watched it, Go watch”

    Hidden pattern in post codes

    cogman10, 2025-09 · Strong recommendation · in “Zip Code Map of the United States”

  2. “CGP Grey has a great video on this”

    Why postal codes reflect infrastructure, not geography

    jpjoi, 2025-02 · Recommendation · in “Stop using zip codes for geospatial analysis (2019)”

  3. “CGP Grey, a youtube channel, has a video on some of the problems of the postal codes and addresses”

    Problems with postal codes and alternative systems

    schlauerfox, 2025-04 · Recommendation · in “I wrote to the address in the GPLv2 license notice (2022)”

  4. “See also this CGP Grey video where he talks about post codes / zip codes in general”

    Postal codes in general, including Ireland's system

    Arnavion, 2025-05 · Recommendation · in “Japan Post launches 'digital address' system”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: zip codes, addresses, geography, postal system, cgp grey

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