Zip Code from string to spacial

[robshiffer]

I'm trying to use the distance tool to calculate the difference between two zip codes (5 digit), but my zips are coming in as string. I tried using the select tool to convert the data to spacial, but when I do it just gives me null values for the zip code. Any suggestions on how to convert the string zip to a spacial?

[MarqueeCrew · Accepted solution]

@robshiffer,

I think that you might want to download shape files from the US Census here.  You can read the data and create a ZIP Code table and use the Centroid from the shapes to perform your calculations.  The unzipped files have a ".shp" file.  Input that file to get you where you need to go.

Cheers,

Mark