It’s a nine-digit number issued to you shortly after your birth that follows you (in nearly all your dealings) throughout your life within the United States. The Social Security Number (SSN) was first created in 1936 and had a single intended purpose: to track how much U.S. workers earn at their jobs. This information allows for the determination of Social Security benefits (calculated based on income). Since 1936, the use of Social Security numbers has evolved and is now considered more of a universal identifier. This numerical assignment is now a hub for all your personal information.
The initial reason for the SSN’s creation remains its primary purpose. At the time, the government intended for a unique identifier to go out to tens of millions of U.S. workers to ensure proper reporting. But the infrastructure for such a task would take some serious effort. Initially, there were insufficient funds for the task. But President Franklin D. Roosevelt found a workaround and eventually, the Social Security Board was formed to decide how to craft the identifier.
After some back and forth, it was decided that the SSN prefix would be a geographical numerical sequence, that the two central numbers would identify a group, and that the four digits at the tail end would be a serial number. This nine-digit number would have to be assigned and provided to each individual, but initially, the Board was concerned that paper would be much too flimsy. There was some talk of using a metal card to create a durable form of identification.
Ultimately, however, the Board decided on a standard design that they would go on to change approximately 50 times over the years. Although there are different variations today, they are all valid (as it would have been a cost-prohibitive effort to update all with the release of each new design). Today, new and replacement cards issued are equipped with counterfeit-resistant features. To get one in 1936, Americans had to supply several details about themselves, including their name, address, current employer, employer address, age, date of birth, place of birth, sex, color, and signature.
Today, there is still an application process required for obtaining a SSN card, but it’s a bit different. There’s a paper version that can be dropped off or mailed in. For people aged 12 or older, an in-person interview is required as well. For babies, parents have the option to follow through with the “Enumeration at Birth” (EAB) process, which helps streamline the application process. Noncitizens have a similar process called “Enumeration at Entry” (EaE) that they can follow to obtain permanent residence in the country.
To compile this list of Social Security number prefixes, 24/7 Tempo reviewed government websites like SSA.gov, which not only lists the prefixes by state but also explains the meaning of Social Security numbers, breaks down their inception, and explains the methods by which they’re obtained. (Here’s your guide to understanding Social Security, with benefits and strategies explained.)
SSN Prefix: 001-003
Autumn road in the White Mountains of New Hampshire in autumn.
- State: New Hampshire
SSN Prefix: 004-007
- State: Maine
SSN Prefix: 008-009
- State: Vermont
SSN Prefix: 010-034
- State: Massachusetts
SSN Prefix: 035-039
- State: Rhode Island
SSN Prefix: 040-049
- State: Connecticut
SSN Prefix: 050-134
- State: New York
SSN Prefix: 135-158
Aerial view of a dense residential district
- State: New Jersey
SSN Prefix: 159-211
- State: Pennsylvania
SSN Prefix: 212-220
- State: Maryland
SSN Prefix: 211-222
- State: Delaware
SSN Prefix: 223-231
- State: Virginia
SSN Prefix: 232, 237-246
- State: North Carolina
SSN Prefix: 232-236
- State: West Virginia
SSN Prefix: 247-251
- State: South Carolina
SSN Prefix: 252-260
- State: Georgia
SSN Prefix: 261-267
- State: Florida (Also 589-595)
SSN Prefix: 268-302
- State: Ohio
SSN Prefix: 303-317
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 23: Juan Pablo Montoya of Columbia, driver of the #2 Team Penske Chevrolet Dallara, celebrates after crossing the finish line to win the 99th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motorspeedway on May 23, 2015 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
- State: Indiana
SSN Prefix: 318-361
CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 17: Visitors look over Georges Seurat's A Sunday on La Grande Jatte at the Art Institute of Chicago on September 17, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. The museum, which draws around1.5 million visitors a year, has been named the best museum in the world by TripAdvisor. The museum has nearly 1 million square feet of exhibit space and 300,000 pieces of art in its permanent collection. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
- State: Illinois
SSN Prefix: 362-386
- State: Michigan
SSN Prefix: 387-399
- State: Wisconsin
SSN Prefix: 400-407
LOUISVILLE, KY - MAY 03: California Chrome #5, ridden by Victor Espinoza, leads the field out of the fourth turn enroute to winning the 140th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 3, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
- State: Kentucky
SSN Prefix: 408-415
- State: Tennessee
SSN Prefix: 416-424
TUSCALOOSA, AL - NOVEMBER 12: Fans of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide display their body paint during the game with the Louisiana State University Tigers on November 12, 2005 at at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. LSU defeated Alabama 16-13 in overtime. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
- State: Alabama
SSN Prefix: 425-428
- State: Mississippi (also 587-588)
SSN Prefix: 429-432
- State: Arkansas
SSN Prefix: 433-439
NEW ORLEANS - FEBRUARY 20: Floats in the Rex parade roll along St. Charles avenue on Mardi Gras Day, February 20, 2007 in New Orleans, Louisiana. This is the second Mardi Gras celebration since Hurricane Katrina devasted the Gulf Coast region. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
- State: Louisiana
SSN Prefix: 440-448
- State: Oklahoma
SSN Prefix: 449-467
- State: Texas
SSN Prefix: 468-477
- State: Minnesota
SSN Prefix: 478-485
- State: Iowa
SSN Prefix: 486-500
- State: Missouri
SSN Prefix: 501-502
- State: North Dakota
SSN Prefix: 503-504
- State: South Dakota
SSN Prefix: 505-508
- State: Nebraska
SSN Prefix: 509-515
- State: Kansas
SSN Prefix: 516-517
- State: Montana
SSN Prefix: 518-519
- State: Idaho
SSN Prefix: 520
- State: Wyoming
SSN Prefix: 521-524
- State: Colorado
SSN Prefix: 525-526
- State: New Mexico (also 585)
SSN Prefix: 526-527
- State: Arizona (Also 600-601, designated)
SSN Prefix: 528-529
Salt Lake City, Utah, taken during the day.
- State: Utah
SSN Prefix: 530
- State: Nevada
SSN Prefix: 531-539
- State: Washington
SSN Prefix: 540-544
- State: Oregon
SSN Prefix: 545-573
- State: California (Also 602-626, designated)
SSN Prefix: 574
- State: Alaska
SSN Prefix: 575-576
A beautiful Hawaiian Hula dancer dancing on the beach of the tropical Hawaiian islands. She is wearing a traditional Hula dance dress with a lei and a head dress. Photographed in vertical format with copy space in Kauai, Hawaii.
- State: Hawaii
(Find out how Social Security is calculated.)