Location vs. Address — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Fiza Rafique — Updated on April 2, 2024
Location refers to a place or position, often described in general terms, while an address is a specific set of details used to identify a place's exact position.
Difference Between Location and Address
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Location encompasses the concept of a place or position, which can be described using various methods such as coordinates (latitude and longitude), landmarks, or general descriptions. It is about the physical or virtual space where something exists or happens and can be precise or relatively broad. On the other hand, an address specifies a fixed set of details such as street name, number, city, and postal code, used to identify a particular building or property. Addresses are used for postal services, navigation, and legal identification of property, providing a precise way to locate something within a broader location.
While a location can give you a sense of where something is in relation to other places or objects, an address gives you the necessary information to find or reach that exact spot. For example, the location of a restaurant could be described as "downtown near the city park," but its address would provide the specific street and number, such as "123 Elm Street."
Locations can be described using subjective or relative terms, such as "near the coast" or "beside the museum," offering a general idea of where a place is situated. Addresses, however, are standardized and universally recognized formats that enable specific identification and are essential for tasks like mailing, emergency services, and delivery.
The concept of location is more flexible and can be used in broader contexts, such as digital locations on a website or areas without formal addresses, like remote natural landmarks. Addresses are tied to established infrastructures and formal systems of identification, making them more rigid but also more universally useful for finding specific locations.
Comparison Chart
Definition
A place or position, described in general or specific terms.
A specific set of details used for identification and postal services.
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Specificity
Can be general or specific.
Always specific.
Use
Describing where something is or happens.
Identifying exact spots for navigation, mailing, and services.
Format
Variable, can include coordinates, landmarks, or descriptions.
Standardized, including street name, number, city, and postal code.
Context
Broad, applies to physical and virtual spaces.
Tied to formal systems of identification and infrastructure.
Compare with Definitions
Location
Encompasses both physical places and abstract spaces.
The website’s privacy policy can be found at a specific location on their homepage.
Address
Essential for mail, deliveries, and emergency services.
Make sure to update your address with the bank to receive your statements.
Location
Can refer to a broad area or a precise point.
Our new office's location is in the city center, near the main square.
Address
Related to established postal and navigation systems.
The new housing development will soon have official addresses assigned.
Location
Often described using relative terms or landmarks.
The best spot for sunset photos is at a location overlooking the river.
Address
A precise set of details identifying a specific place.
456 Pine Street, Springfield.
Location
A place or position.
The location of the ancient ruins is known only to local historians.
Address
Includes details like street name, number, city, and postal code.
The restaurant's address is 123 Elm Street, right in the heart of downtown.
Location
Used in various contexts, from geographical descriptions to digital spaces.
The location for the event will be announced next week.
Address
Follows a recognized structure for easy identification.
Addresses in this city start with the street number followed by the street name.
Location
In geography, location or place are used to denote a region (point, line, or area) on Earth’s surface or elsewhere. The term location generally implies a higher degree of certainty than place, the latter often indicating an entity with an ambiguous boundary, relying more on human or social attributes of place identity and sense of place than on geometry.
Address
An address is a collection of information, presented in a mostly fixed format, used to give the location of a building, apartment, or other structure or a plot of land, generally using political boundaries and street names as references, along with other identifiers such as house or apartment numbers and organization name. Some addresses also contain special codes, such as a postal code, to make identification easier and aid in the routing of mail.
Location
A particular place or position
The property is set in a convenient location
Address
The particulars of the place where someone lives or an organization is situated
They exchanged addresses and agreed to keep in touch
Location
An area where black South Africans were obliged by apartheid laws to live, usually on the outskirts of a town or city. The term was later replaced by township.
Address
A formal speech delivered to an audience
An address to the European Parliament
Location
The act or process of locating
Location of the lost hikers took two days.
Address
Skill, dexterity, or readiness
He rescued me with the most consummate address
Location
A place where something is or could be located; a site.
Address
Write the name and address of the intended recipient on (an envelope, letter, or parcel)
I addressed my letter to him personally
Location
A site away from a studio at which part or all of a movie is shot
Filming a Western on location in the Mexican desert.
Address
Speak to (a person or an assembly)
She addressed the open-air meeting
Location
A tract of land that has been surveyed and marked off.
Address
Think about and begin to deal with (an issue or problem)
A fundamental problem has still to be addressed
Location
A particular point or place in physical space.
Address
Take up one's stance and prepare to hit (the ball)
Ensure that your weight is evenly spread when you address the ball
Location
An act of locating.
Address
To speak to
Addressed me in low tones.
Location
(South Africa) An apartheid-era urban area populated by non-white people; township.
Address
To make a formal speech to
Addressed the union members at the convention.
Location
(legal) A leasing on rent.
Address
To call (a person to whom one is speaking) by a particular name or term
Address the judge as "Your Honor.".
Location
A contract for the use of a thing, or service of a person, for hire.
Address
To direct (a spoken or written message) to the attention of
Address a protest to the faculty senate.
Location
The marking out of the boundaries, or identifying the place or site of, a piece of land, according to the description given in an entry, plan, map, etc
Address
To mark with a destination
Address a letter.
Location
(Kenya) An administrative region in Kenya, below counties and subcounties, and further divided into sublocations.
Address
To direct the efforts or attention of (oneself)
Address oneself to a task.
Location
The act or process of locating.
Address
To begin to deal with
Addressed the issue of taxes.
Location
Situation; place; locality.
Address
To dispatch or consign (a ship, for example) to an agent or factor.
Location
That which is located; a tract of land designated in place.
Address
(Sports) To adjust and aim the club at (a golf ball) in preparing for a stroke.
Location
A leasing on rent.
Address
A description of the location of a person or organization, as written or printed on mail as directions for delivery
Wrote the address on the envelope.
Location
A point or extent in space
Address
The location at which a particular organization or person may be found or reached
Went to her address but no one was home.
Location
The act of putting something in a certain place or location
Address
A name or a sequence of characters that designates an email account or a specific site on the internet or other network.
Location
A determination of the location of something;
He got a good fix on the target
Address
A name or number used in information storage or retrieval assigned to or identifying a specific memory location.
Address
A formal speech or written communication.
Address
Often addresses Courteous attentions.
Address
The manner or bearing of a person, especially in conversation.
Address
Skill, deftness, or grace in dealing with people or situations
"With the charms of beauty she combined the address of an accomplished intriguer" (Charles Merivale).
Address
Direction.
Address
(obsolete) Guidance; help.
Address
A polite approach made to another person, especially of a romantic nature; an amorous advance.
Address
A manner of speaking or writing to another; language, style.
A man of pleasing or insinuating address
Address
A formal approach to a sovereign, especially an official appeal or petition; later specifically a response given by each of the Houses of Parliament to the sovereign's speech at the opening of Parliament.
Address
An act of addressing oneself to a person or group; a discourse or speech, or a record of this.
Address
A description of the location of a property, usually with at least a street name and number, name of a town, and now also a postal code; such a description as superscribed for direction on an envelope or letter.
The President's address is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C.
Address
(by extension) The property itself.
I went to his address but there was nobody there.
Address
(computing) A number identifying a specific storage location in computer memory; a string of characters identifying a location on the internet or other network; sometimes specifically an e-mail address.
The program will crash if there is no valid data stored at that address.
Address
Preparation.
Address
Preparedness for some task; resourcefulness; skill, ability.
Address
(obsolete) The act of getting ready; preparation.
Address
The act of bringing the head of the club up to the ball in preparation for swinging.
Address
To prepare oneself.
Address
To direct speech.
Address
To aim; to direct.
Address
To prepare or make ready.
Address
To prepare oneself; to apply one's skill or energies (to some object); to betake.
Address
(reflexive) To direct one’s remarks (to someone).
Address
To clothe or array; to dress.
Address
(transitive) To direct, as words (to anyone or anything); to make, as a speech, petition, etc. (to any audience).
He addressed some portions of his remarks to his supporters, some to his opponents.
Address
(transitive) To direct speech to; to make a communication to, whether spoken or written; to apply to by words, as by a speech, petition, etc., to speak to.
Address
(transitive) To direct in writing, as a letter; to superscribe, or to direct and transmit.
He addressed a letter.
Address
(transitive) To make suit to as a lover; to court; to woo.
Address
(transitive) To consign or entrust to the care of another, as agent or factor.
The ship was addressed to a merchant in Baltimore.
Address
(transitive) To address oneself to; to prepare oneself for; to apply oneself to; to direct one's speech, discourse or efforts to.
Address
To direct attention towards a problem or obstacle, in an attempt to resolve it.
Address
To refer to a location in computer memory.
Address
To get ready to hit (the ball on the tee).
Address
To aim; to direct.
And this good knight his way with me addrest.
Address
To prepare or make ready.
His foe was soon addressed.
Turnus addressed his men to single fight.
The five foolish virgins addressed themselves at the noise of the bridegroom's coming.
Address
Reflexively: To prepare one's self; to apply one's skill or energies (to some object); to betake.
These men addressed themselves to the task.
Address
To clothe or array; to dress.
Tecla . . . addressed herself in man's apparel.
Address
To direct, as words (to any one or any thing); to make, as a speech, petition, etc. (to any one, an audience).
The young hero had addressed his players to him for his assistance.
Address
To direct speech to; to make a communication to, whether spoken or written; to apply to by words, as by a speech, petition, etc., to speak to; to accost.
Are not your orders to address the senate?
The representatives of the nation addressed the king.
Address
To direct in writing, as a letter; to superscribe, or to direct and transmit; as, he addressed a letter.
Address
To make suit to as a lover; to court; to woo.
Address
To consign or intrust to the care of another, as agent or factor; as, the ship was addressed to a merchant in Baltimore.
Address
To prepare one's self.
Address
To direct speech.
Young Turnus to the beauteous maid addrest.
Address
Act of preparing one's self.
Address
Act of addressing one's self to a person; verbal application.
Address
A formal communication, either written or spoken; a discourse; a speech; a formal application to any one; a petition; a formal statement on some subject or special occasion; as, an address of thanks, an address to the voters.
Address
Direction or superscription of a letter, or the name, title, and place of residence of the person addressed.
Address
Manner of speaking to another; delivery; as, a man of pleasing or insinuating address.
Address
Attention in the way one's addresses to a lady.
Address
Skill; skillful management; dexterity; adroitness.
Address
(computer science) the code that identifies where a piece of information is stored
Address
The place where a person or organization can be found or communicated with
Address
The act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience;
He listened to an address on minor Roman poets
Address
The manner of speaking to another individual;
He failed in his manner of address to the captain
Address
A sign in front of a house or business carrying the conventional form by which its location is described
Address
Written directions for finding some location; written on letters or packages that are to be delivered to that location
Address
The stance assumed by a golfer in preparation for hitting a golf ball
Address
Social skill
Address
Speak to;
He addressed the crowd outside the window
Address
Give a speech to;
The chairman addressed the board of trustees
Address
Put an address on (an envelope, for example)
Address
Direct a question at someone
Address
Address or apply oneself to something, direct one's efforts towards something, such as a question
Address
Greet, as with a prescribed form, title, or name;
He always addresses me with `Sir'
Call me Mister
She calls him by first name
Address
Access or locate by address
Address
Deal with verbally or in some form of artistic expression;
This book deals with incest
The course covered all of Western Civilization
The new book treats the history of China
Address
Speak to someone
Address
Adjust and aim (a golf ball) at in preparation fo hitting
Common Curiosities
Can a place have both a location and an address?
Yes, most places have both a general location description and a specific address.
What is a location?
A location is the place or position of something, described in general or specific terms.
What is an address?
An address is a specific set of details, such as street name, number, city, and postal code, used to identify a particular place.
How are addresses standardized?
Addresses are standardized through postal services and urban planning regulations to ensure uniformity and ease of identification.
Why is an address important?
An address is important for postal services, navigation, deliveries, and legal identification of properties.
Do all places have formal addresses?
Not all places have formal addresses, especially in remote or undeveloped areas, but they can still be described by their location.
How does a location differ from an address?
A location provides a general or specific idea of where something is, while an address offers a precise set of details for identification.
Is a location always physical?
No, the concept of location can also apply to virtual spaces, such as locations on a website or in digital environments.
Can a location be described without an address?
Yes, locations can be described using landmarks, relative positions, or even coordinates when an exact address is not available or necessary.
How do emergency services use addresses and locations?
Emergency services use addresses to quickly find and reach people in need of help, while locations can provide additional context or directions in areas where addresses might not be precise enough.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
