Zip Code 21236 & other strange questions... (Baltimore, Silver Spring: to live in, restaurants, zip codes)

[Annieproductions]

Good morning. Can anyone tell me what the heck is up with the zip codes in Maryland? Everywhere I go people tell me something different. For instance where is 21236? Some people say when mailing something write "Baltimore, MD 21236" because it goes to a bigger post office and you will get the mail faster....hhhhmmm, I have a PO box in 21162 and I write White Marsh, MD...should I have my family and friends write Baltimore, MD? I am looking at apts. in the 21236, 21237 area but where are they? People say "oh White Marsh, Perry Hall, Nottingham, it's all the same thing" WHAT? thanks for your help!

[jaindow]

Sorry I can't specifically answer your question, but I can tell you when we first moved to Maryland we lived in the White Marsh area (not too far from the mall and The Avenue) for 2 years and had the same question and even then no one could give us a straight answer. Basically we told family and friends we lived in Baltimore and all our mail was addressed to Baltimore, MD. Even the address on our driver's license listed Baltimore, MD. It was never a problem for us using Baltimore, MD.

I will be interested to see if anyone responds with clarification on this issue.

[dkf747]

If I understand you correctly, it is not just Maryland. I used to live in Fairfax County, Virginia. My mailing address was Alexandria. I see the same thing in Silver Spring. You can live in Colesville, for example, but your mailing address will be Silver Spring. I don't know the reason, but I wonder if it has something do with so many unincorporatd communities here. Where I grew up (Detroit area), nearly every wuburb was an incorporated city, and the mailing address usually mqatched with the location of the Post office.

[Annieproductions]

Wow! That is all I could say. I called today to get the phone number of 2 different restaurants over at THE AVENUE. I asked if they were in White Marsh or Nottingham. First one was the KOBE JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE, the operator said it is in WHITE MARSH. Next was The BAYOU CAFE, the operator said it was in Nottingham. I guess you are right to say just write Baltimore, MD. I am still confused. Ignorance is bliss, I guess!!!

[hokiejane]

A Zip Code is just a numerical means of identifying the post office which handles all your incoming mail for you. In this case, 21236 is the post office located on Mercantile Rd. across the street from White Marsh Mall.

That post office services a wide area so you could see mail addressed to Perry Hall, MD 21236, Baltimore, MD 21236, Nottingham, MD 21236, etc... The name of the city doesn't matter. The Zip Code will get it to that post office and then that post office will deliver it to you based on your street address, but ONLY if your street is in their service area.

If you have a PO Box in at the White Marsh Post Office, "White Marsh, MD" is what's correct for the your mail. But again, as long as they use the 21162 Zip Code, that's all that really matters. Writing "Baltimore, MD" won't make a bit of difference on how fast it gets there.

The story I heard was that the Nottingham Post Office is a distribution center for all mail coming into and going out of the area. If that's true, then that means a piece of mail going to White Marsh would go through Nottingham before being delivered to the White Marsh Post Office for final delivery. And vice-versa, if you mail something at the White Marsh PO, it will go through Nottingham first. It's probably quicker to mail something from Nottingham, but whether it's quicker to receive is all up to timing of the trucks (unless you have a PO Box).

Here's a website that will show you Zip Code areas:

The Most Accurate Free USPS Zip Code Map Anywhere!

[Annieproductions]

Thank you for the info!