In a standard US-style address, you usually put commas between major parts of the address, but not inside the tight postal bits like “state ZIP.”

The super short version

  • Do not use a comma between the street number and street name.
    • Correct: 223 Center Street
  • Do use a comma between city and state.
    • Correct: Venus, New York
  • Do not use a comma between the state and ZIP code.
    • Correct: New York 10001
  • If the sentence continues after the address, put a comma after the address.
    • Correct: She lives at 223 Center Street, Venus, New York 10001, but she may move soon.

When the address is on separate lines (envelopes)

On an envelope or form where each part is on its own line, you typically don’t use commas at the ends of lines: Example:

  • Ms. Belle Planet
  • 223 Center Street
  • Venus, New York 10001

Here:

  • No comma after “223 Center Street”.
  • One comma between “Venus” and “New York”.
  • No comma between “New York” and “10001”.

Many guides show this exact structure as the default postal format because it’s clear and easy to process for mail systems.

When the address is inside a sentence

Once the address sits inside a sentence, you punctuate it as both an address and a normal sentence part.

  1. Full address in the middle of a sentence

    • She lives at 223 Center Street, Venus, New York 10001, but she is thinking of moving.
      Commas:

    • No comma after “223 Center Street” (street number + street name stay together).

    • Comma between “Venus” and “New York”.

    • No comma between “New York” and “10001”.

    • Comma after the ZIP because the sentence continues.

  2. Only city and state in a sentence

    • He grew up in Venus, New York, before moving abroad.
      Commas:

    • One comma between city and state.

    • Comma after the state if the sentence continues.

  3. Address at the end of a sentence

    • Please send the package to 223 Center Street, Venus, New York 10001.
      Commas:

    • Comma between city and state.

    • No comma between state and ZIP.

    • No extra comma at the very end, because the period does that job.

Some teaching resources phrase the rule this way: use a comma after each “unit” of the address (street, city, state) except before the ZIP code; if the sentence keeps going after the address, add another comma to set the address off.

Quick patterns you can copy

Use these as templates you can plug your own details into.

  1. Envelope style (multi-line)
    • Name
    • Street number + street name
    • City, State ZIP
  2. In a sentence, full address
    • I stayed at [Street number Street name], [City], [State ZIP], for three nights.
  3. In a sentence, city and state only
    • I grew up in [City], [State], and I still visit often.
  4. No street address, just written out
    • Our office moved to Boston, Massachusetts, in 2024.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Putting a comma between state and ZIP:
    • Wrong: New York, 10001
    • Right: New York 10001
  • Splitting house number and street with a comma:
    • Wrong: 223, Center Street
    • Right: 223 Center Street
  • Forgetting the comma after state when the sentence continues:
    • Wrong: I live in Venus, New York but travel often.
    • Right: I live in Venus, New York, but travel often.

If you’re writing for forms, databases, or online

Digital forms often separate address parts into separate fields (Street, City, State, ZIP). When those get displayed as one line, they usually follow this pattern:

  • Street number + street name, optional apartment/comma, city, state ZIP
    • Example: 123 Main Street, Apt 3B, Anytown, CA 90210

Again, the key rules stay the same:

  • Comma between city and state.
  • No comma between state and ZIP.

Mini FAQ

Q: Does this change outside the US?
A: Yes, other countries use different formats (for example, postal codes before city names, different comma use, or none at all), so always check that country’s postal guidelines. Q: What about city and country?
A: Often written as “City, Country” when the country name stands in for the state/province in informal writing, though official postal formats vary. Very short memory trick:

  • Comma between big chunks (city/state),
  • No comma inside tight pairs (state ZIP, street number + street name).