You can find the latitude and longitude of an address by geocoding it. Geocoding converts a human-readable street address, place name, or other location description into geographic coordinates.
For example:
Address:
350 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY
can be converted into a coordinate pair containing:
Latitude
and
Longitude
Those coordinates can then be used for mapping, GPS-based analysis, straight-line distance calculations, and road routing.
If your main goal is to compare two street locations, use the Distance Between Addresses Calculator instead.
What Are Latitude and Longitude?
Latitude and longitude are angular coordinates used to identify positions on Earth.
Latitude
Latitude describes how far north or south a location is relative to the Equator.
The standard range is:
−90° to +90°
Positive values are north of the Equator.
Negative values are south of the Equator.
Longitude
Longitude describes how far east or west a location is relative to the Prime Meridian.
The standard range is:
−180° to +180°
Positive values are east of the Prime Meridian.
Negative values are west of the Prime Meridian.
Together, latitude and longitude form a coordinate pair such as:
40.7128, −74.0060
which represents a geographic position.
How Do You Get Latitude and Longitude From an Address?
The basic process is:
Address
↓
Geocoding service
↓
Matched geographic location
↓
Latitude and Longitude
You enter a street address or place description.
The geocoding system searches its geographic database for the most appropriate match.
It then returns coordinates associated with that matched location.
For example:
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC
can be geocoded into a latitude and longitude pair representing the mapped location of that address.
What Is Geocoding?
Geocoding is the process of converting a human-readable location into geographic coordinates.
A geocoder can accept input such as:
- a street address;
- a city;
- a ZIP code;
- a landmark;
- a business;
- another recognizable place name.
The output normally includes:
- latitude;
- longitude;
- a matched or standardized location description;
- sometimes additional address components.
Google Maps Platform describes geocoding as converting addresses into geographic coordinates, while OpenStreetMap's Nominatim Search API can look up places from free-form or structured address text.
How Does an Address Become Coordinates?
An address is not itself a mathematical position.
Consider:
123 Main Street, Boston, MA
A distance formula cannot use that text directly.
A geocoder must first determine which mapped object or place record corresponds to the address.
The result might become conceptually:
123 Main Street, Boston, MA
↓
42.xxxxx, −71.xxxxx
The latitude and longitude then provide a numerical location that mapping and distance algorithms can use.
What Happens During Address Matching?
A geocoding system compares the entered text with geographic data.
The system may consider components such as:
- house number;
- street;
- city;
- county;
- state;
- postal code;
- country.
For example:
350 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY
contains more identifying information than:
Fifth Avenue
A more complete address generally gives the geocoder more context to identify the intended location.
Why Should You Use a Complete Address?
Complete addresses reduce ambiguity.
Compare:
Main Street
with:
123 Main Street, Springfield, IL
The first query could match many streets in many places.
The second contains:
- house number;
- street;
- city;
- state.
That makes it easier for a geocoding system to identify the intended location.
For U.S. addresses, adding the ZIP code can provide even more context when necessary.
Can the Same Address Search Return More Than One Result?
Yes.
An address or place description can be ambiguous.
Examples include:
- duplicated street names;
- cities with the same name;
- businesses with multiple branches;
- landmarks with similar names;
- incomplete addresses.
A geocoding service may therefore return several possible matches.
The application using that service decides how to handle those results.
Some systems show the user several choices.
Others automatically select the highest-ranked match.
This is one reason the matched location should be checked before using its coordinates in an important calculation.
How Does CalculatingDistance.com Use Address Geocoding?
The current Distance Between Addresses Calculator uses Nominatim to convert each address into a coordinate pair.
The current implementation:
- reads the starting address;
- searches for that address;
- uses the first returned location;
- reads its latitude and longitude;
- repeats the process for the destination address;
- calculates straight-line distance;
- calculates a driving route.
So geocoding is the bridge between:
human-readable address text
and:
mathematical distance calculations
What Is the Difference Between Geocoding and Reverse Geocoding?
The two processes work in opposite directions.
Geocoding
Address → Coordinates
Example:
350 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY
↓
Latitude, Longitude
Reverse Geocoding
Coordinates → Address or place description
Example:
40.7484, −73.9857
↓
Nearby mapped address or place
This page focuses on forward geocoding, because the goal is to find coordinates from an address.
What Are GPS Coordinates?
GPS coordinates are commonly expressed as latitude and longitude.
A GPS-enabled device can determine its geographic position and represent it using coordinate values.
For example:
Latitude: 34.0522
Longitude: −118.2437
Geocoding and GPS arrive at coordinates in different ways:
Geocoding
starts with an address and finds coordinates.
GPS positioning
starts with a physical receiver's measured position and produces coordinates.
Both can ultimately produce latitude and longitude values.
Are Geocoded Coordinates the Same as GPS Coordinates?
They use the same type of geographic coordinate system, but the source of the point is different.
A GPS coordinate may represent the measured location of a device.
A geocoded coordinate represents the location that a geographic database associates with an address or place.
For example, an address may be represented by:
- a building point;
- a parcel-related position;
- a street interpolation;
- an entrance;
- another mapped reference point.
That means geocoded coordinates should be interpreted as the location returned for the address, not automatically as a centimeter-accurate physical position.
What Coordinate Format Do Address Finders Usually Return?
The most common web format is decimal degrees.
Example:
40.7128, −74.0060
Other common formats include degrees, minutes, seconds (DMS).
The same general position could be written in a form such as:
40° 42′ 46″ N
74° 0′ 21″ W
For web calculators and JavaScript applications, decimal degrees are generally easier to use.
Your CalculatingDistance.com coordinate-based calculators expect decimal latitude and longitude values.
How Do You Read Decimal Coordinates?
A pair such as:
40.7128, −74.0060
is normally ordered as:
Latitude, Longitude
So:
Latitude = 40.7128
Longitude = −74.0060
The positive latitude places the point north of the Equator.
The negative longitude places it west of the Prime Meridian.
Always confirm the expected coordinate order when using software because some technical APIs and geographic systems use:
Longitude, Latitude
instead.
Why Do Some APIs Use Longitude Before Latitude?
Coordinate order depends on the API or data format.
Human-facing geographic notation often appears as:
Latitude, Longitude
For example:
40.7128, −74.0060
Some routing APIs instead require:
Longitude, Latitude
which would be:
−74.0060, 40.7128
Using the wrong order can send the location to a completely different position or produce an invalid result.
This matters when building distance calculators or integrating geocoding APIs.
Can You Find Coordinates From a City Name?
Yes.
Geocoders can usually search broader place descriptions in addition to exact street addresses.
For example:
Chicago, IL
can be matched to a representative geographic location.
However, a city covers a large area.
The returned coordinate therefore represents a point associated with the city rather than every point inside it.
For city-to-city comparisons, see Distance Between Two Locations.
Can You Find Coordinates From a ZIP Code?
Yes, if the geographic service supports postal-code lookup.
However, a ZIP Code represents a postal designation or area rather than one exact building location.
The returned coordinate may be a representative ZIP-related point.
That means:
ZIP coordinate
is not equivalent to:
exact address coordinate
For ZIP-specific distance calculations, see Distance Between ZIP Codes.
Can You Find Coordinates From a Landmark?
Yes.
Recognizable landmarks can often be geocoded.
Examples include:
- monuments;
- airports;
- universities;
- stadiums;
- government buildings;
- major tourist attractions.
For example, a search for:
Empire State Building
can return the coordinates associated with that mapped feature.
The success of the search depends on whether the place exists in the geographic database and whether the name is sufficiently specific.
Can You Find Coordinates From a Business Name?
Often, yes.
A business name can be treated as a place query when it exists in the map data.
For example:
Starbucks, Times Square, New York
contains more context than simply:
Starbucks
The second query could match thousands of businesses.
Adding:
- city;
- street;
- neighborhood;
- state;
can improve the chance of identifying the intended branch.
How Accurate Are Coordinates Found From an Address?
The answer depends primarily on the quality and type of address data.
A geocoder might locate an address using:
- an exact mapped building;
- an address point;
- street interpolation;
- a parcel;
- a street centerline;
- a ZIP or locality reference;
- another available geographic feature.
So coordinate precision should not be confused with location accuracy.
For example, a service may return:
40.123456
to six decimal places.
Those extra decimal digits do not automatically prove that the underlying address location is accurate to a few inches.
The meaningful question is:
What real-world feature does the returned coordinate represent?
Why Can Two Geocoders Return Different Coordinates?
Two services can return different coordinates for the same address because they may use:
- different map datasets;
- different address sources;
- different interpolation methods;
- different ranking systems;
- different building or entrance points;
- different update dates.
For example, one service may place a point at the center of a building.
Another may return a street entrance.
A small coordinate difference does not automatically mean one result is wrong.
What Is Address Interpolation?
Not every address necessarily exists as an individually mapped point.
In some datasets, a geocoder can estimate an address position based on known address ranges along a street.
For example:
100 Main Street
and:
200 Main Street
may be known positions.
An intermediate house number could be estimated somewhere along that road segment.
This process is called address interpolation.
Interpolated coordinates are useful, but they should not be interpreted as surveyed building coordinates.
Why Should You Check the Matched Address?
The geocoder may understand your input differently from what you intended.
Suppose you enter:
10 King Street
without a city or state.
The service may return a valid 10 King Street, but in the wrong city.
Before using the coordinates, verify:
- street;
- city;
- state;
- ZIP code;
- country;
- nearby map location.
The matched result is more important than whether the geocoding request technically succeeded.
How Can You Improve an Address Search?
If the wrong place is returned, add more context.
Instead of:
Main Street
use:
123 Main Street, Denver, CO
If necessary, add:
ZIP code
or:
country
You can also try removing unnecessary descriptions that may confuse the geocoder.
The goal is to provide the smallest amount of information that uniquely identifies the intended location.
What If the Address Cannot Be Found?
Several problems can prevent a successful match:
- misspelling;
- missing city or state;
- a newly constructed address;
- incomplete map data;
- incorrect ZIP code;
- unusual address formatting;
- private roads;
- rural addressing;
- business names not present in the database.
Try a more complete version of the address.
You can also search a nearby landmark or use a map tool to select the point manually.
If you already know the approximate area, the Map Distance Calculator can help when exact address geocoding is unnecessary.
Can You Get Coordinates From Google Maps?
Yes. Google Maps provides ways to view the coordinates of selected map locations, and Google's Geocoding technology can convert addresses into geographic coordinates.
If your task is specifically about measuring distance inside Google Maps, see How to Measure Distance on Google Maps.
For calculations within CalculatingDistance.com, you can simply enter the decimal coordinates into the Distance Calculator.
How Do You Use Coordinates to Calculate Distance?
Once you have two coordinate pairs:
Point 1 = Latitude₁, Longitude₁
Point 2 = Latitude₂, Longitude₂
you can calculate their direct geographic distance.
For a spherical Earth approximation, a common method is the Haversine formula:
a = sin²(Δφ ÷ 2) + cos(φ₁) × cos(φ₂) × sin²(Δλ ÷ 2)
c = 2 × atan2(√a, √(1 − a))
Distance = R × c
For the full mathematics, see Haversine Formula.
If you simply want the result, enter the coordinates into the Distance Calculator.
How Do You Use Address Coordinates for Driving Distance?
Coordinates also serve as endpoints for road routing.
The general process is:
Address
↓
Coordinates
↓
Road network
↓
Driving route
↓
Mileage and estimated travel time
That is how the Distance Between Addresses Calculator combines geocoding with road routing.
For the routing process itself, see How Driving Distance Is Calculated.
Address Coordinates vs Street Address
A street address is designed primarily for human identification and delivery.
Coordinates are designed to represent geographic position numerically.
For example:
Address:
350 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY
Coordinates:
Latitude, Longitude
Both can refer to the same general location, but they serve different purposes.
Addresses are easier for people to communicate.
Coordinates are easier for mapping software, mathematical calculations, and geographic analysis.
Latitude and Longitude vs x and y Coordinates
Latitude and longitude should not automatically be treated as ordinary Cartesian x and y values.
Cartesian points exist on a flat plane:
(x, y)
Geographic coordinates describe positions on a curved Earth:
(latitude, longitude)
For ordinary Cartesian points, use the Euclidean Distance Formula.
For geographic coordinates, use a great-circle or geodesic method.
Can Coordinates Be Used in GPS Navigation?
Yes.
Navigation systems use geographic positions as part of the routing process.
A coordinate can represent:
- your current position;
- a destination;
- a waypoint;
- a road-network location.
The navigation system then combines those positions with map and routing data.
So GPS coordinates identify where something is.
Routing determines how to travel between positions.
Why Are Coordinates Useful Beyond Distance Calculations?
Latitude and longitude can be used for:
- map markers;
- GIS analysis;
- navigation;
- route planning;
- geographic databases;
- weather lookups;
- location-based applications;
- proximity searches;
- delivery planning;
- geographic visualization.
Coordinates provide a standardized numerical representation of location that can be reused across many geographic systems.
Which Tool Should You Use?
| What you have | What you need | Best resource |
|---|---|---|
| One address | Its coordinates | Geocoding / coordinate finder |
| Two addresses | Direct + driving distance | Distance Between Addresses Calculator |
| Two coordinate pairs | Great-circle distance | Distance Calculator |
| Two ZIP Codes | ZIP-level distance | Distance Between ZIP Codes |
| Two map points | Direct map distance | Map Distance Calculator |
| Two general locations | Road mileage | Driving Distance Calculator |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get latitude and longitude from an address?
Use a geocoding service. Enter the street address, and the service searches its geographic database for a matching location and returns latitude and longitude coordinates.
What is geocoding?
Geocoding converts a human-readable location, such as a street address or place name, into geographic coordinates.
Can I find coordinates from a ZIP Code?
Yes, but the result normally represents a ZIP-related reference location rather than one exact street address.
Can I find latitude and longitude from a business name?
Often yes, if the business is present in the geographic database. Add the city, state, or street information when the name is ambiguous.
Are latitude and longitude GPS coordinates?
Latitude and longitude are geographic coordinates commonly used by GPS systems. A GPS receiver can determine a device's position and express it with these coordinates.
Why do two coordinate finders give different results?
They may use different datasets, address-matching methods, reference points, interpolation, or update schedules.
Is a coordinate with more decimal places always more accurate?
No. Decimal precision and real-world positional accuracy are different. More digits do not guarantee that the underlying address point is more accurate.
What is reverse geocoding?
Reverse geocoding converts latitude and longitude into a human-readable address or place description.
How can I calculate distance after finding the coordinates?
Enter the two latitude/longitude pairs into the Distance Calculator to calculate their direct great-circle distance.
How do addresses become driving routes?
The address is geocoded into coordinates, then those coordinates are connected to a road network and routed. See How Driving Distance Is Calculated for the complete process.