First 3 Digits of SSN by State: Area Numbers and Unissued Prefixes

If your Social Security card was issued before June 25, 2011, the first three digits of your SSN identify the state or territory where you applied for the card. The Social Security Administration called this the “area number” and assigned it in a rough northeast-to-west sequence. On cards issued on or after that date, the first three digits are randomized and no longer point to any state.1Social Security Administration. Social Security Number Randomization

One caveat before the table. The area number reflects where the application was processed, not necessarily where the applicant lived. Before 1972, that meant the local SSA field office; after 1972, it meant the ZIP code on the mailing address the applicant used.2Social Security Administration. Social Security Numbers Someone who applied while living away from home, such as a college student, could end up with an area number that doesn’t match the state they grew up in.

Area Numbers by State

Each state received one or more blocks of area numbers based on expected application volume. Several high-population states received a second block once the first ran short, which is why Florida, California, and Arizona appear twice below.3Social Security Administration. Meaning of the Social Security Number

New England and the Northeast

  • New Hampshire: 001–003
  • Maine: 004–007
  • Vermont: 008–009
  • Massachusetts: 010–034
  • Rhode Island: 035–039
  • Connecticut: 040–049
  • New York: 050–134
  • New Jersey: 135–158

Mid-Atlantic and Southeast

  • Pennsylvania: 159–211
  • Maryland: 212–220
  • Delaware: 221–222
  • Virginia: 223–231
  • West Virginia: 232–236
  • North Carolina: 237–246
  • South Carolina: 247–251
  • Georgia: 252–260
  • Florida: 261–267, 589–595

Great Lakes and Upper Midwest

  • Ohio: 268–302
  • Indiana: 303–317
  • Illinois: 318–361
  • Michigan: 362–386
  • Wisconsin: 387–399

South Central

  • Kentucky: 400–407
  • Tennessee: 408–415
  • Alabama: 416–424
  • Mississippi: 425–428, 587–588
  • Arkansas: 429–432
  • Louisiana: 433–439
  • Oklahoma: 440–448
  • Texas: 449–467

Plains and Mountain States

  • Minnesota: 468–477
  • Iowa: 478–485
  • Missouri: 486–500
  • North Dakota: 501–502
  • South Dakota: 503–504
  • Nebraska: 505–508
  • Kansas: 509–515
  • Montana: 516–517
  • Idaho: 518–519
  • Wyoming: 520
  • Colorado: 521–524
  • New Mexico: 525, 585
  • Arizona: 526–527, 600–601
  • Utah: 528–529
  • Nevada: 530

Pacific States and D.C.

  • Washington: 531–539
  • Oregon: 540–544
  • California: 545–573, 602–626
  • Alaska: 574
  • Hawaii: 575–576
  • District of Columbia: 577–579

Territories and the Railroad Block

U.S. territories received their own prefixes, and in a few cases share a single area number distinguished by the group digits.3Social Security Administration. Meaning of the Social Security Number

  • Puerto Rico: 580–584, 596–599
  • Virgin Islands: 580 (group numbers 01–18)
  • Guam: 586 (group numbers 01–18)
  • American Samoa: 586 (group numbers 20–28)

The 700–728 range is a separate story. Before 1963, the Railroad Retirement Board issued its own Social Security numbers to railroad workers who didn’t already have one, and every one of those numbers began with a 700-series prefix. The SSA took over issuance for railroad employees after 1963. When randomization began in 2011, the 700 range rejoined the general pool, so a number in that range on a newer card has nothing to do with the railroads.1Social Security Administration. Social Security Number Randomization

Prefixes That Were Never Issued

Three area number ranges have never been assigned to anyone: 000, 666, and 900–999.4Social Security Administration. The Story of the Social Security NumberSocial Security Number Randomization

Why Newer Numbers Don’t Match the Table

On June 25, 2011, the SSA stopped assigning area numbers by geography and switched to a fully randomized process for all nine digits.1Social Security Administration. Social Security Number Randomization The agency gave two reasons: tying numbers to location and approximate application date made them easier for identity thieves to guess, and several states were running out of available numbers within their assigned blocks.5Social Security Administration. Social Security Number Randomization Frequently Asked Questions

Randomization also opened previously unused ranges (including the old 700-series railroad block) to general assignment. A number issued today can start with a prefix that once belonged strictly to one state, or with a range that was never in circulation at all. If your card was issued on or after June 25, 2011, the first three digits tell you nothing about where you or your family lived. Only pre-2011 numbers follow the state table.