When passing through the suburbs of Chicago, especially in DuPage County or some Unincorporated areas, you might notice a different address format than usual. For example, you might see an address like "22W345." While most addresses are made up of a street name and number, what does this combination of numbers and letters mean?
This address system is based on a special coordinate system originating from downtown Chicago. Understanding this system shows how systematically addresses in Chicago and its suburbs are organized.
Chicago’s Reference Point: State & Madison Streets
All addresses in Chicago are based on the downtown intersection of State Street and Madison Street as the reference point, marked as (0,0). From this point, addresses are determined by how far they are in terms of blocks in the north-south and east-west directions.
State Street: The east-west baseline for Chicago.
Madison Street: The north-south baseline for Chicago.
In other words, addresses are determined by how many blocks away a location is from the State & Madison intersection.
How to Read an Address like ‘22W345’?
Let’s take "22W345" as an example.
"22W": This indicates the location is 22 blocks west of the downtown (State & Madison) intersection.
"345": This is the specific building number within that block.
So, "22W345" means the building is located 22 blocks west of downtown Chicago on the specified block number 345. This system makes it easy to understand how far a location is from downtown Chicago, even in suburban areas.
General Address vs. Chicago-Style Address
Typically, an address follows this format: Street Name + Number. But in some suburban areas of Chicago, the system works differently.
Address Format | Explanation |
General Address | '123 Main St' → Building at 123 on Main Street |
Chicago-Style Address | '22W345' → Building 345 located 22 blocks west of downtown Chicago |
The key difference is that Chicago's address system is based on the distance and direction from downtown, rather than just street names.
Why This Address System Matters in the Chicago Suburbs
Easier to Identify Direction
With an address like ‘22W345’, you can immediately tell that it's 22 blocks west of downtown Chicago.
This makes it easier to understand the location compared to a regular street address.
Especially Useful in Unincorporated Areas
Even in Unincorporated areas (areas outside city boundaries), this system is used to assign addresses.
It provides a logical way to organize addresses even where street names might not be available.
Tied to the Road System
Knowing this address system helps you gauge the distance from a reference point when traveling in suburban areas.
Before GPS, this system was very helpful for navigation using just a map.
Conclusion – A Smart Address System in Chicago Suburbs!
Chicago and its suburban address system are not just about street names—they’re based on a coordinate system.✔ The reference point is State & Madison Streets (0,0).✔ An address like "22W345" means it’s 22 blocks west of downtown Chicago at building 345.✔ This system also makes it easy to manage addresses in Unincorporated areas, even where street names might not be used.
Next time you're in the Chicago suburbs and see an address like "22W345", you’ll have a better understanding of how it fits into the bigger picture!
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