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Is there a way to verify or ensure the accuracy of google maps geocoding? I have a database with some address that aren't always the most clean or in the proper format (being input by someone else). I need to be able to geocode these addresses to update the DB with the lat long.

Is there a way to make Google maps geocoding more accurate? Or at least to check to make sure that the lat/long are within the parameters are in the correct state (virginia). I've tried using the street address and city and simply putting in VA for the state, but I still get values that are -100,000 lng and 20,000 lat. Not even close...

So, if there isn't a way to improve accuracy, is there a way to create a "box" of values to test to make sure that if it's outside of that it probably doesn't have the right address.

I am using PHP/jQuery/MySQL.

user1470118
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There are a few lower cost tools that could help you clean up your addresses. See Open Source Address Scrubber? for more information.

I worked with bad addresses for years and they are hard to to deal with if they're not accurate. I recommend anyone accepting addresses on a web site not allow free form fields. Use specific fields for street number, street, city, zip etc. And don't forget Canadian zips are different!

Community
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mister270
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  • Yes, unfortunately we're essentially scraping another company's database (with their permission). So all their entries are added by their personnel so I have no control over the addresses being entered. Thanks for the link! – user1470118 Sep 17 '13 at 16:07