See What State Everyone Is Born in Based on Their Social Security Number

The United States began issuing Social Security numbers (SSNs) in November 1936. A unique nine-digit number is assigned to every U.S. citizen. SSNs are also assigned to permanent residents and eligible nonimmigrant workers within the United States. (And, since we’re on the subject, here is our super helpful guide to understanding Social Security today, with all benefits and strategies explained.)

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.

24/7 Wall St. used information from the Social Security Administration for this story.

1. New Hampshire

• Social Security Area Numbers: 001-003

2. Maine

• Social Security Area Numbers: 004-007

3. Vermont

• Social Security Area Numbers: 008-009

4. Massachusetts

• Social Security Area Numbers: 010-034

5. Rhode Island

• Social Security Area Numbers: 035-039

6. Connecticut

• Social Security Area Numbers: 040-049

7. New York

• Social Security Area Numbers: 050-134

8. New Jersey

• Social Security Area Numbers: 135-158

9. Pennsylvania

• Social Security Area Numbers: 159-211

10. Maryland

• Social Security Area Numbers: 212-220

11. Delaware

• Social Security Area Numbers: 221-222

12. Virginia

• Social Security Area Numbers: 223-231, 691-699

13. West Virginia

• 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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