Learn where someone was born from their Social Security number

In the United States, a Social Security number (SSN) is a nine-digit number issued to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and temporary (working) residents under section 205(c)(2) of the Social Security Act, codified as 42 U.S.C. § 405(c)(2). The number is issued to an individual by the Social Security Administration, an independent agency of the United States government. The first three digits of a person’s SSN will tell you which state they were born in.

A SSN chart is posted after the jump. Enjoy.

Alabama 416-424	Alaska 574	Arizona 526-527, 600-601, 764-765
Arkansas 429-432, 676-679	California 545-573, 602-626	Colorado 521-524, 650-653
Connecticut 040-049	Delaware 221-222	District of Columbia 577-579
Florida 261-267, 589-595, 766-772	Georgia 252-260, 667-675	Hawaii 575-576, 750-751
Idaho 518-519	Illinois 318-361	Indiana 303-317
Iowa 478-485	Kansas 509-515	Kentucky 400-407
Louisiana 433-439, 659-665	Maine 004-007	Maryland 212-220
Massachusetts 010-034	Michigan 362-386	Minnesota 468-477
Mississippi 425-428, 587, 752-755,* 588*	Missouri 486-500	Montana 516-517
Nebraska 505-508	Nevada 530, 680	New Hampshire 001-003
New Jersey 135-158	New Mexico 585, 648-649	New York 050-134
North Carolina 232, 237-246, 681-690	North Dakota 501-502	Ohio 268-302
Oklahoma 440-448	Oregon 540-544	Pennsylvania 159-211
Puerto Rico 580-584, 596-599	Rhode Island 035-039	South Carolina 247-251,654-658
South Dakota 503-504	Tennessee 408-415, 756-763*	Texas 449-467, 627-645
Utah 528-529, 646-647	Vermont 008-009	Virginia 223-231, 691-699*
Washington 531-539	West Virginia 232-236	Wisconsin 387-399
Wyoming 520	Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico 580	Guam, American Samoa, Philippine Islands 586
700-728 (RR Retirement Board – All States) Issuance of these numbers to railroaders was discontinued on July 1, 1963
A Social Security number starting with 000 is never valid. 729-733 enumeration at entry. When the same numbers are in two different areas, it means that they were transferred from one state to another, or that the area was divided.
*Numbers allocated, but not yet used

This data is for informational purposes only. It was derived from the Social Security Online website at www.socialsecurity.gov.

A history of Social Security is located at the government site, and you may search the Social Security Death Index for your deceased relatives.

Reader Feedback

6 Responses to “Learn where someone was born from their Social Security number”

Christel says:

March 18, 2009 at 5:16 pm

This is only partially true. Currently, SSNs are issued at birth and so there’s a link between the digits and the state. But in the past, parents could wait to get their child’s SSN and often only did so because relatives bought savings bonds or other financial gifts that required them. As such, folks born in the 70′s or earlier won’t always have a match (I’m a case in point, born in Iowa but “registered” after we moved to NY, so I’m an 075).

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Nicole says:

August 3, 2010 at 10:54 pm

Same thing here. I was born in 1980 in Iowa, but have a Tx issued SSN. Same with my husband born in ’77 in LA with a Tx issued SSN.

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Tyler Longfield says:

December 13, 2010 at 6:12 pm

Thanks for sharing this.I will post it forward to rss feeds to get the word out.

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Christal says:

July 12, 2011 at 6:07 pm

so how do i find what city i was born in? born after 90s, but adopted from a different state than i grew up in

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Mike says:

February 27, 2012 at 10:26 pm

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Matt says:

June 7, 2012 at 9:09 am

This is interesting – Another interesting point – if you were born overseas, you get a SSN based on where your parents were born. I was born in Ontario, Canada, but I have a 116-xx SSN. I guess this is due to the fact that my parents (both) are from NY.

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