5 Ways To Convert Zip Code To State In Excel

In today's data-driven world, working with geographic information is a common task. One such task is converting zip codes to states in Excel. This can be particularly useful for businesses, researchers, and individuals who need to analyze or visualize data by state. In this article, we will explore five ways to convert zip codes to states in Excel.

Method 1: Using VLOOKUP Function

The VLOOKUP function is a popular choice for looking up values in a table. You can use it to convert zip codes to states by creating a lookup table with zip codes and their corresponding states.

1. Create a table with zip codes in one column and states in another column.
2. In the cell where you want to display the state, enter the VLOOKUP function: =VLOOKUP(zip_code, table_array, 2, FALSE)
3. Replace zip_code with the cell containing the zip code, table_array with the range of cells containing the lookup table, and 2 with the column number containing the state.
4. Press Enter to get the state corresponding to the zip code.

Example:

Zip Code	State
10001	New York
10002	New York
10003	New York

If you want to find the state for zip code 10001, enter the VLOOKUP function: =VLOOKUP(10001, A2:B4, 2, FALSE)

Method 2: Using INDEX-MATCH Function

The INDEX-MATCH function is another powerful lookup function in Excel. It is more flexible than VLOOKUP and can be used to convert zip codes to states.

1. Create a table with zip codes in one column and states in another column.
2. In the cell where you want to display the state, enter the INDEX-MATCH function: =INDEX(state_array, MATCH(zip_code, zip_code_array, 0))
3. Replace state_array with the range of cells containing the states, zip_code with the cell containing the zip code, and zip_code_array with the range of cells containing the zip codes.
4. Press Enter to get the state corresponding to the zip code.

Example:

Zip Code	State
10001	New York
10002	New York
10003	New York

If you want to find the state for zip code 10001, enter the INDEX-MATCH function: =INDEX(B2:B4, MATCH(10001, A2:A4, 0))

Method 3: Using ZIP Code Table Add-in

If you work frequently with zip codes, you can use the ZIP Code Table add-in for Excel. This add-in provides a comprehensive table of zip codes and their corresponding states.

1. Download and install the ZIP Code Table add-in from the Microsoft Store.
2. Activate the add-in in your Excel workbook.
3. Enter the zip code in a cell.
4. Use the =ZIPCODE.STATE function to get the state corresponding to the zip code.

Example:

Enter the zip code 10001 in cell A1. Enter the =ZIPCODE.STATE(A1) function in cell B1 to get the state: New York

Method 4: Using Power Query

Power Query is a powerful data manipulation tool in Excel. You can use it to convert zip codes to states by creating a query that looks up the state in a table.

1. Create a table with zip codes in one column and states in another column.
2. Go to the Data tab in Excel and click on From Table/Range.
3. Select the table containing the zip codes and states.
4. Click on Add Column > Custom Column.
5. Enter the formula: = Table.State{Table.Zip Code = [Zip Code]}
6. Click OK to create the custom column.

Example:

Zip Code	State
10001	New York
10002	New York
10003	New York

Enter the zip code 10001 in cell A1. Use the Power Query formula to get the state: = Table.State{Table.Zip Code = [A1]}

Method 5: Using External Data Source

You can also convert zip codes to states by using an external data source such as a database or a web service.

1. Connect to the external data source using the Data tab in Excel.
2. Create a query that looks up the state in the external data source.
3. Use the query to get the state corresponding to the zip code.

Example:

Use a web service like ZipCodeAPI to look up the state for a given zip code. Enter the zip code 10001 in cell A1. Use the web service to get the state: New York

Zip Code to State Image Gallery

We hope this article has helped you learn how to convert zip codes to states in Excel using various methods. Whether you're a business analyst, data scientist, or simply someone who works with geographic data, these methods will help you efficiently and accurately convert zip codes to states. Try out these methods and see which one works best for you!