Great Barrington is a town located in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It has a population of around 7,000 people. Great Barrington was first settled in 1726 and was officially incorporated in 1761. It is located along the Housatonic River and is considered part of the Berkshires cultural region.
What is a ZIP Code?
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service (USPS) since 1963. The letters ZIP stand for “Zone Improvement Plan”. ZIP codes designate geographic areas for the purpose of more efficiently sorting and delivering mail.
A typical ZIP code consists of five numerical digits. The first three digits usually designate a specific sectional center facility or central mail processing facility. The next two digits identify a specific delivery area like a city, borough, community, or village within that sectional center facility’s jurisdiction.
For example, the ZIP code “01057” for Great Barrington:
– The first three digits “010” represent the central mail processing facility in Springfield, MA
– The last two digits “57” signify Great Barrington as a unique delivery area within that facility’s distribution jurisdiction.
What is Great Barrington’s zip code?
The ZIP code for Great Barrington, Massachusetts is 01230.
This five-digit ZIP code specifically applies to addresses and locations within the town limits and outlying unincorporated communities of Great Barrington. The 01230 ZIP code belongs to the Great Barrington post office branch of the United States Postal Service.
ZIP Code Boundaries
The geographic area covered by the 01230 ZIP code includes the following towns and villages:
- Great Barrington
- Housatonic
- Van Deusenville
So any mail sent to addresses within those communities would use the 01230 ZIP code. This helps the postal service route and deliver mail more efficiently to the correct post office branch.
Demographics of 01230 ZIP Code
According to population estimates for the 01230 ZIP code tabulation area (ZCTA) from the U.S. Census Bureau:
- Total population (as of July 1, 2021): 6,696
- Median household income (in 2019 dollars): $53,864
- Median home value (in 2019 dollars): $245,000
- Land area: 45.213 sq mi
- Persons per square mile: 147.94
So the 01230 ZIP code encompasses a moderately populated rural area with middle class incomes and housing values compared to national averages.
ZIP Codes Bordering 01230
The 01230 ZIP code borders the following ZIP codes:
Adjacent ZIP Code | City/Town |
---|---|
01237 | Egremont |
01236 | Hillsdale |
01258 | Monterey |
01243 | Sheffield |
01253 | Stockbridge |
Mail may sometimes be routed between these adjacent ZIP codes and 01230 if it helps optimize delivery efficiency between nearby post office branches.
How ZIP Codes Help the Postal Service
ZIP codes help the United States Postal Service in several key ways:
- Routing mail – ZIP codes enable logistically optimized mail transport and delivery to the correct post office facility.
- Sorting mail – Mail can be presorted by the first 3 digits of the ZIP code before arriving at processing centers.
- Delivery statistics – The USPS uses ZIP codes to analyze delivery patterns and performance.
- Planning and development – By identifying growth rates and volumes, ZIP codes help plan for facility/transportation expansion.
So ZIP codes essentially act as a routing tool to make the mail system as efficient as possible. They also provide valuable data to the Postal Service for ongoing improvement and planning. This has helped accommodate the enormous growth in mail volume since the Zone Improvement Plan was first implemented in the 1960s.
How to Look Up a ZIP Code
If you need to look up or verify a ZIP code for an address, there are a few easy ways to find it:
- Use the USPS online ZIP code lookup tool by entering the street address, city, and state.
- Refer to the ZIP code list provided on the USPS website – this lists ZIP codes by state and city.
- Check the monthly USPS ZIP+4 product which contains every active postal ZIP code and the addresses in its range.
- Third party websites and apps like Google Maps also provide ZIP code lookup functions.
- Call your local post office and they can provide the ZIP code for an address.
Knowing the correct 5-digit ZIP code is important when addressing letters, shipping packages, and filing change of address forms with the USPS. It helps ensure efficient delivery to the intended destination.
How Was the 01230 ZIP Code Assigned to Great Barrington?
The 01230 ZIP code was assigned to Great Barrington and surrounding areas back when the Zone Improvement Plan was first implemented in the 1960s.
The town of Great Barrington would have been linked to the “012” 3-digit prefix based on its location within the jurisdiction of the Springfield postal sectional center facility. From there, the last two digits “30” were assigned to specifically denote Great Barrington addresses in the center’s sorting system.
When ZIP codes were first rolled out, local postmasters often had input on the prefix numbers designated to their area. This localized knowledge helped the Postal Service assign codes in a way that optimized mail routing logistics across post office boundaries.
Overall, while the 01230 ZIP code was somewhat arbitrarily assigned, the key factors were:
- Proximity to the Springfield sorting facility
- Establishing a unique code to identify Great Barrington addresses
- Ensuring efficient mail transport and delivery within the region
That is how Great Barrington ended up with the 01230 ZIP code it still uses today, over 50 years since the Zoning Improvement Plan was launched.
How Has Great Barrington’s ZIP Code Changed Over Time?
Great Barrington has used the 01230 ZIP code since ZIP codes were first introduced in 1963. There have been no documented changes or revisions to the town’s assigned ZIP code during that time.
However, while the 01230 code has remained consistent, some changes have occurred over the decades in terms of the specific addresses and coverage area associated with it:
- As new homes and businesses have been constructed, more addresses in Great Barrington utilize the 01230 ZIP code.
- The geographic boundaries linked to 01230 have expanded slightly as surrounding rural areas have become more developed and populated.
- ZIP+4 codes and delivery point codes have been implemented to further specify clusters or segments within the 01230 ZIP code area.
But the core 5-digit 01230 ZIP code assigned to Great Barrington has not changed. The Postal Service tends not to revise or reassign ZIP codes unless absolutely necessary due to the complexity and cost of doing so.
The consistency of the 01230 ZIP code has provided continuity for Great Barrington residents and businesses who rely on it for mail delivery. And the Postal Service has still been able to adapt its operations within that unchanging 5-digit framework as the town has grown over the past six decades.
Conclusion
In summary, Great Barrington’s ZIP code is 01230. This 5-digit code was established when the Zone Improvement Plan was first implemented in the 1960s to optimize mail routing to the town. The 01230 ZIP code covers Great Barrington and surrounding communities located within the jurisdiction of the Springfield postal processing facility. While new addresses and delivery points have been added over time, the core 01230 code assignment remains unchanged since it was first assigned. Consistent use of the 01230 ZIP code helps the USPS efficiently sort and deliver mail to residents and businesses located in the Great Barrington area.