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  Do the numbers in a Social Security number have any meaning?
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  Do the numbers in a Social Security number have any meaning?
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The following is general information about Social Security numbers and a list which indicates the state and its corresponding area number used by Social Security when assigning Social Security numbers.

The nine-digit Social Security number is divided into three parts—

  • The first three digits are the area number. If your Social Security number was assigned before 1972 when Social Security cards were issued by local offices, the area number reflects the state where you applied for your number. If your number was assigned in 1972 or later when we began issuing Social Security cards centrally, the area number reflects the state as determined by the ZIP code in the mailing address on your application for the number.
  • The middle two digits are the group number. It has no special geographic or data significance but merely serve to break the number into conveniently sized blocks for orderly issuance.
  • The last four digits are the serial number. It represents a straight numerical sequence of digits from 0001-9999 within the group.

To see the most recent information about the allocation of Social Security numbers go to SSA’s website.


 
 
 
  
 
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