zlacker

Great article. Zip codes can be super expedient. But you have to be self aware that for many uses cases they function WORSE than a random grid. Because they have built-in aggregation of a central post office(and surrounding) with a certain radius of rural/less dense surrounding.

So for example, if you are sorting “rural zips” vs “urban zips” it will only take you so far, and may actually be harmful.

Same goes with MSAs/DMAs (media markets). These have to be used for buying media, but for geospatial analysis they are suboptimal for the same reasons.

Easiest way to dip your toe into the water of something better is to start with A-D census counties.