The Empire State Building Has Its Own ZIP Code

It takes a truly massive volume of mail to justify a unique postal code for a single address. The United States Postal Service reserves this distinction for buildings or complexes that operate like small towns, and the Empire State Building is a prime example. Functioning as a vertical city, the skyscraper houses over 1,000 separate businesses and their thousands of employees. The sheer amount of daily correspondence directed to one location required a dedicated system for efficient sorting and delivery, leading the USPS to recognize it as its own postal neighborhood with the designation 10118.

This special status was not granted when the national ZIP code system was first implemented in 1963. The Empire State Building received its exclusive code in 1980, a testament to its enduring importance as a major commercial hub decades after its construction. While a rare honor, it is not entirely alone; other high-volume locations like Chicago's Willis Tower (60606) and Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles (90090) also have their own ZIP codes. This logistical solution allows the postal service to streamline operations for its largest and most concentrated delivery points.