The original purpose of SSNs was to enable the Social Security Administration (SSA) to track individual accounts, but these numbers have since become a widely accepted form of identification used by employers, medical providers, schools, government agencies, and so forth.
Each social security number is divided into three parts. The first three digits are the area number, the middle two are the group number, and the last four are the serial number. So, using this configuration, the format of a SSN is AAA-GG-SSSS.
Assigning Area Numbers
Originally, the area number represented the location of the Social Security office that issued a specific Social Security card. However, starting in 1973, the SSA began using the ZIP Code on an application to assign the area number. This practice remained in effect until June 25, 2011, when the SSA adopted a new randomization method designed to “protect the integrity of the SSN” and “extend the longevity of the nine-digit SSN nationwide.”
For those born in the U.S. between 1973 and June 2011, the first three numbers of their SSNs were assigned to the ZIP Code found on their Social Security application. Usually (but not always), that ZIP Code corresponded with the place of their birth. So, in most cases, you can tell where a person was born by the first three digits of their SSN.
Here are the area numbers assigned to all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories during this 38-year period. The states and territories are arranged in ascending order according to their original area numbers. As the nation’s population grew, the original area numbers for some states were exhausted and new area numbers were assigned. This is why 16 states and one territory have nonconsecutive area numbers.
Note: There are overlapping numbers between North Carolina and West Virginia, as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Oh, and here’s a fun fact: the area number “666” was never issued.
Social Security Area Numbers: 232 (except group number 30) -236
14. North Carolina
Social Security Area Numbers: 232 (group number 30), 237-246, 681-690
15. South Carolina
Social Security Area Numbers: 247-251, 654-658
16. Georgia
Social Security Area Numbers: 252-260, 667-675
17. Florida
Social Security Area Numbers: 261-267, 589-595, 766-772
18. Ohio
Social Security Area Numbers: 268-302
19. Indiana
Social Security Area Numbers: 303-317
20. Illinois
Social Security Area Numbers: 318-361
21. Michigan
Social Security Area Numbers: 362-386
22. Wisconsin
Social Security Area Numbers: 387-399
23. Kentucky
Social Security Area Numbers: 400-407
24. Tennessee
Social Security Area Numbers: 408-415, 756-763
25. Alabama
Social Security Area Numbers: 416-424
26. Mississippi
Social Security Area Numbers: 425-428, 587-588, 752-755
27. Arkansas
Social Security Area Numbers: 429-432, 676-679
28. Louisiana
Social Security Area Numbers: 433-439, 659-665
29. Oklahoma
Social Security Area Numbers: 440-448
30. Texas
Social Security Area Numbers: 449-467, 627-645
31. Minnesota
Social Security Area Numbers: 468-477
32. Iowa
Social Security Area Numbers: 478-485
33. Missouri
Social Security Area Numbers: 486-500
34. North Dakota
Social Security Area Numbers: 501-502
35. South Dakota
Social Security Area Numbers: 503-504
36. Nebraska
Social Security Area Numbers: 505-508
37. Kansas
Social Security Area Numbers: 509-515
38. Montana
Social Security Area Numbers: 516-517
39. Idaho
Social Security Area Numbers: 518-519
40. Wyoming
Social Security Area Number: 520
41. Colorado
Social Security Area Numbers: 521-524, 650-653
42. New Mexico
Social Security Area Numbers: 525, 585, 648-649
43. Arizona
Social Security Area Numbers: 526-527, 600-601, 764-765
44. Utah
Social Security Area Numbers: 528-529, 646-647
45. Nevada
Social Security Area Numbers: 530, 680
46. Washington State
Social Security Area Numbers: 531-539
47. Oregon
Social Security Area Numbers: 540-544
48. California
Social Security Area Numbers: 545-573, 602-626
49. Alaska
Social Security Area Number: 574
50. Hawaii
Social Security Area Numbers: 575-576, 750-751
51. District of Columbia
Social Security Area Numbers: 577-579
52. U.S. Virgin Islands
Social Security Area Number: 580
53. Puerto Rico
Social Security Area Numbers: 580-584, 596-599
54. Pacific Ocean Territories
Social Security Area Numbers: 586
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