The short answer is that ZIP codes were invented in 1963 to help the Postal Service better sort mail in order to get it out to more people sooner. The first number in a ZIP Code designates the general geographic area of the nation, with the initial areas starting with 0-9, then two more digits denoting regions within those national zones, and finally two more indicating the city post office where mail is sent and picked up from.
Over time, however, ZIP codes have come to play a major role in American life and culture. The Census uses them to organize demographic data; financial entities like banks, insurance companies, and credit card companies use them to determine rates; even online shopping websites often use zip codes to limit results to the areas in which a person lives.
In fact, the first major advertising campaign for ZIP codes took place back in 1967 and was created by the Wunderman, Ricotta & Kline agency. It ran in magazines like Vogue and Reader's Digest, as well as on radio and TV. Its message was that if you don't know your zip code, then you shouldn't be buying anything.
Since then, the system has become so ingrained in America that most people don't even think about it. But it is a useful tool, and there are some interesting facts about the way that zip codes work. For example, did you know that the ZIP code for Tonopah, Nevada, is 10000?
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