Address points are a valuable dataset for use in a variety of assessment, analysis and visualization tasks. These points are most often maintained at the county jurisdictional level. It should be noted that the general term “Address Points” can represent a variety of spatial locations including:
1) Structure points (points placed directly on a structure)
2) Driveway points (points located on the driveway leading to a structure)
3) Access points (points usually located in road indicating the entrance/access path to a structure)
4) Geocoded points (point locations assigned based on where address numbers falls in a given address range)
Statewide
A statewide address point dataset from the LinkWISCONSIN EBM Address Point and Parcel Mapping Project is available from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin’s State Broadband Office. This dataset was aggregated from data received during the fall of 2013 and is not maintained or updated in any form.
*It should be noted that at the current time there are no plans to develop a statewide address database to follow on the previous EBM work.
County
A good option for locating current and historic county address point datasets is GeoData@Wisconsin. In the ‘search’ bar search for ‘addresses’ to locate available address point datasets.
National
At the current time, no nationwide, non-commercial address point database exists, but the development of such a database is a very high priority for the National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC). A summit was held in April 2015 that focused on generating ideas and gathering input from potential consumers and producers of a nationwide address point database. This summit was an important step in developing a comprehensive plan for implementing the creation and maintenance of such an important and valuable dataset. A summary of the summit can be found here.
An interesting open-source project similar to OpenStreetMap to keep an eye on is OpenAddresses.io, which is a global repository for open address data. This database is an aggregation of address point data from a variety of sources. As it continues to grow, it may be a valuable resource for those seeking address points for not only the United States but also other countries around the world.
Need Assistance?
If you are having trouble locating Address Points in Wisconsin or need further help, please contact us via e-Mail or at (608) 262-3065.