Dots represent locations of people within the zip code, as placed by the given method.
Zip Centroid Assigns all locations to the geographic center of the zip code. All locations at same geographic point Distances within zip code always zero Distances between zip codes may be overstated or understated Random Assigns locations to unique, random geographic coordinates within the zip code. Centroid Assigns locations based on nine-digit zip codes. Pros Most accurate technique to use when street addresses are unavailable or inaccurate Does not place locations in uninhabited areas Included with GeoCoder Cons Locations are usually placed on the correct block face but are not exact Address-based Assigns locations based on actual street addresses.