Questions and Answers

When was the database last updated?

The last full database update was on the October 24th, 2024.

How often will I receive updates?

Database updates are performed four times per year at the start of January, April, July and October. After each update we’ll send you information about what has changed and a download link for the new data. These updates will be sent to the email address you provide when making a purchase.

Can I change the address my updates are sent to?

Yes, that’s no problem. Send us a message to let us know where you would like your updates to go to, and we will update our records.

What states are included in the database?

The database covers all 50 U.S. states plus Washington D.C. Offshore territories (Amercian Samoa, Guam etc.) are not included.

The full list of states covered is: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington D.C., West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

What type of locations are included?

All currently incorporated cities, towns, villages, townships and boroughs in the U.S. are listed. Census Designated Places (populated areas which don't have a municipal government, but which otherwise physically resemble incorporated places) are also included for every state.

Who else uses your database?

Since 2011 we’ve worked with hundreds of businesses and individuals to provide the data they need to help run their websites and internal systems. We serve customers from major national companies (like General Electric, Deloitte and Prudential), through to web development, design and marketing agencies across the U.S.

How will I receive the data?

Immediately after purchase you’ll be taken to a webpage which contains a unique link to your data. Clicking this link will download the full database directly to your computer. We’ll also send an email receipt which includes a backup of your download link, so you can download the database again at any time.

Can I pay via purchase order or invoice?

Yes. If you can’t pay online we are happy to accept payment via purchase order and invoice. Please message us to let us know your requirements and we will arrange the next steps with you.

Can I pay in a different currency?

We accept payment with credit card, debit card or PayPal from almost anywhere in the world – including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Brazil, India and all EU countries. The appropriate amount in your local currency will be billed to your card or PayPal account based on the current interbank exchange rates.

Do you provide a charity discount?

If you’re buying on behalf of a registered charity or non-profit organization we are happy to provide a 25% discount on all purchases. Please contact us to receive a discount code.

What are the licencing options?

We provide two different licences for the database, the ‘Business’ licence and the ‘Personal’ licence. The differences between the two are summarized in the table below.

	Business licence	Personal licence
Permitted usage	Business and/or Commercial use	Personal-use only
Licence Term	No time limit	No time limit
Maximum users	Unlimited	Unlimited
Maximum devices	Unlimited	Unlimited

Please read the terms of use for full information about these licencing options.

Can I use the database in a website/software application?

Generally yes. Using the database in a software application or website (e.g. for location searches) is permitted providing that you do not make the data available for users to download in bulk.

What licence is appropriate for academic research work?

For academic research which is due or likely to be published the ‘Business’ licence should be purchased. For academic research which will not be published the ‘Personal’ licence can be used. In both cases, the data must not be distributed or shared along with the research results. Please read the terms of use for full information about these licencing options.

What character-encoding does the data use?

The CSV and SQL files use UTF-8 for character encoding.

What’s the code for creating a SQL table for the data?

The following code can be used to create a table suitable for the data in all ANSI-compliant SQL databases:

CREATE TABLE us_cities (
    id int NOT NULL,
    name varchar(35),
    county varchar(80),
    state_code char(2),
    state varchar(20),
    zip_codes varchar(2701),
    type varchar(23),
    latitude numeric(8,5),
    longitude numeric(8,5),
    area_code varchar(33),
    population int,
    households int,
    median_income int,
    land_area bigint,
    water_area bigint,
    time_zone varchar(30),
    PRIMARY KEY (id)
);