ZIP Code Map
Paste up to 200 US ZIP codes. Each is geocoded and plotted as a dot on the map, with an optional heatmap view for density and CSV export of the plotted points.
Quick answer: Plot a list of US ZIP codes as dots — or switch to a density heatmap. Coverage: US focused. No account is required.
Worked examples
- Small pin map — A handful of labelled pins is usually clearer than dozens of unstyled markers. Use categories or colours only when they carry meaning.
- Shareable state — When a tool stores settings in the URL, recipients can reopen the same configuration without an account.
- Export choice — PNG is useful for presentation; GeoJSON or CSV is better when the data needs to remain editable.
Limits & appropriate use
Custom maps inherit two honest limits: the basemap's and the message's. The basemap is OpenStreetMap's current picture with its ODbL attribution ask, and its gaps — new roads, thin rural detail — travel into every export that includes tiles. The message limit is design's classic one: a map can carry one argument well, and beyond a few dozen symbols the right instrument changes to data-driven mapping with clustering and categories. Both limits are stated where they matter, because the alternative is a beautiful figure that misleads its own author.
Within those bounds the workflow is complete and durable: pins, labels, colours, tight framing, pixel-ratio PNG for the slide, GeoJSON/CSV for the record, URL-state for the living version. Escalation is gentle by design — choropleths and territory shading belong to GIS with real boundaries (the blank-map library and GeoJSON exports feed it), cartographic print production wants vector pipelines, and brand-strict design systems want tokens this tool deliberately doesn't fake.
- Data-dense maps → CSV-to-map with clustering and category colour.
- Boundary shading/choropleth → GIS with census or OSM boundaries.
- Print cartography → vector exports into a design pipeline.
Data & methodology
Map imagery derives from OpenStreetMap via OpenFreeMap (ODbL attribution applies to reused basemap images); your pins and labels live only in the share URL.
For source details, licences and model limitations, see Data Sources and Methodology.
Related tools
Category: Map Creation. Results are intended for everyday analysis and planning unless a page explicitly states otherwise.
How to use
- 1Paste ZIP codes, one per line or comma-separated.
- 2Press Plot ZIP codes and watch the progress bar.
- 3Toggle the heatmap to see density, or keep the dots view.
- 4Export the plotted points as CSV if needed.
Frequently asked questions
How many ZIP codes can I plot?
Up to 200 per run. Split larger lists into batches.
Where do the coordinates come from?
Each ZIP is geocoded with the public Zippopotam API, which returns the ZIP's representative point — not a boundary.
What does the heatmap show?
Point density: brighter areas have more of your ZIP codes clustered together. It is a visual aid, not a statistical surface.
Some ZIPs show as not found — why?
Retired, PO-box-only or very new ZIP codes may not be in the lookup database. They are listed so you can check them.
Can I download the results?
Yes — Export CSV gives you ZIP, latitude, longitude and place name for every plotted point.