Long and Lat of Address: What It Means and How to Find It

Every location on Earth has a unique set of coordinates — a latitude and a longitude. When someone asks for "the long and lat of an address," they want these two numbers that pinpoint the exact position of that address on the planet. This guide explains what longitude and latitude are, how they relate to street addresses, and three ways to find them.

What Are Longitude and Latitude?

Latitude and longitude are the two numbers that define any point on Earth's surface. Together, they form a coordinate system that has been used for navigation since the 18th century — and today powers every GPS device, mapping app, and delivery system in the world.

For example, New York City is at approximately 40.7128 latitude, -74.0060 longitude. The positive latitude means it is north of the equator, and the negative longitude means it is west of the Prime Meridian.

Coordinate Formats Explained

Coordinates come in two main formats:

For geocoding and mapping software, always use decimal degrees. This is the format that CSV2GEO, Google Maps, QGIS, and virtually every modern tool expects.

How to Find the Long and Lat of Any Address

There are three ways, depending on how many addresses you need to look up:

Method 1: Single Address Lookup (Free, Instant)

Go to batch geocoding and type your address. The system returns latitude and longitude instantly. No account needed for single lookups.

Example:

A relevance score of 1.0 means the coordinates point directly to the building — rooftop-level accuracy.

Method 2: Bulk Lookup from CSV or Excel (Free, 100/day)

When you have a list of addresses in a spreadsheet, upload it to batch geocoding. The system reads your file, auto-detects the address columns, and returns a new file with latitude and longitude appended to each row.

For a step-by-step walkthrough, see how to geocode a CSV file.

Method 3: API for Developers (1,000 Free/Day)

If you need coordinates programmatically — in your app, script, or database — use the geocoding API:

curl "https://csv2geo.com/api/v1/geocode?q=1600+Pennsylvania+Ave,+Washington+DC&country=US&api_key=YOUR_KEY"

Python SDK:

from csv2geo import Client

client = Client("YOUR_API_KEY")
result = client.geocode("1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington DC", country="US")
print(f"Lat: {result.lat}, Long: {result.lng}")
# → Lat: 38.8977, Long: -77.0365

Install with pip install csv2geo. 1,000 free API requests per day, no credit card.

What Determines the Accuracy of Coordinates?

Not all coordinate lookups are equally accurate. Several factors affect the quality of the long and lat you get back:

Why Would You Need the Long and Lat of an Address?

• Plotting locations on a map — every mapping tool needs coordinates, not street addresses
• Calculating distances between two locations — requires lat/long for both points
• Building delivery or sales route optimization — GPS routing engines use coordinates
• Enriching CRM or customer data — add geographic intelligence to your database
• Creating geofences — define geographic boundaries using coordinate points
• Spatial analysis and research — statistical analysis of geographic patterns

Going the Other Way: Coordinates to Address

If you already have latitude and longitude and need the street address, that is called reverse geocoding. See our complete reverse geocoding guide or use the reverse geocoding tool directly.

Try It in ChatGPT

You can also find the long and lat of any address directly in ChatGPT — no code, no account. Open the CSV2GEO Geocoder GPT, type an address, and get coordinates back instantly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the long and lat of an address?

The longitude and latitude of an address are the two decimal numbers that pinpoint its exact location on Earth. Latitude measures north/south position (-90 to +90), longitude measures east/west position (-180 to +180).

How do I find the latitude and longitude of an address for free?

Type your address into batch geocoding for a free instant lookup. For multiple addresses, upload a CSV file — 100 rows free per day.

What format should coordinates be in?

Use decimal degrees (e.g., 40.7128, -74.0060). This is the standard format for GPS, Google Maps, and all modern mapping software.

Can I look up coordinates for multiple addresses at once?

Yes. Upload a CSV or Excel file with your addresses to batch geocoding. The system adds lat/long columns to your file. Or use the API to batch process up to 10,000 addresses per request.

How accurate are the coordinates?

CSV2GEO provides rooftop-level accuracy for 461M+ addresses. Every result includes a relevance score — 1.0 means the coordinates point to the exact building.

What is the difference between latitude and longitude?

Latitude measures north-south position (equator = 0, North Pole = 90, South Pole = -90). Longitude measures east-west position (Prime Meridian = 0, goes to +180 east and -180 west).

Find the Long and Lat of Your Addresses

Ready to convert your addresses to coordinates? Upload your file for batch geocoding or use the geocoding API for programmatic access. Free every day, no credit card.

Need help? Visit our Help page or contact us.

I.A.

CSV2GEO Creator