ELi5 – How are street adresses determined / how do they get numbered?

Question

ELi5 – How are street adresses determined / how do they get numbered?

In: 59

Answer 1

This varies by cities. But let me give you my favorite example:

In Chicago, State/Madison is 0 North/South, 0 East/West. North/south streets west of state street are 100 west (1 block west) 200 west (2 blocks west) 300 west (3 blocks west); and the same for east/west streets that are north of Madison.

Even numbered addresses are on the north side of east/west streets, and on the west side of North/south streets.

It’s 8 blocks to a mile, unless you’re in the central downtown area when it is 10.

So if you have an address that is 1060 W Addison Street—Wrigley field—you’d be able to know right away it’s 10 blocks (1.25 miles) west of state street, 36 blocks (4.5 miles) north of downtown (if you were able to memorize that Addison is 3600 north like any true Chicagoan would), and on the north side of the street because of the even number.

This is why there isn’t a ton of “East” addresses in Chicago unless you’re on the south side or in the central business district. If you were at 2400 E Jackson, you’d be swimming in Lake Michigan.