How to lookup US State from zip code

looking for web service

[bobjunga]

How can I lookup a state from a zip code. I have been googling and am surprised that I have not found a free web service.

I would also think that it would be a reasonably small file to store this information to look up locally. Is this information generally available?

Thanks

--BobG

[hannamyluv]

[usps.com...]

It will give you the cities and states for a zip.

[photon]

Also available on CD-ROM:

[usps.com...]

[choster]

The USPS actually has an API for retrieving city and state from the ZIP code, see [usps.com...] . It's not perfect; sometimes a ZIP code is assigned to more than one city; I get a lot of misaddressed mail. On the other hand, I suppose all that matters is that I got it.

You might also be interested in Ben Fry's nifty ZipDecode site, acg.media.mit.edu/people/fry/zipdecode/ (requires Java).

[kevinpate]

or there's my admittedly low tech and somewhat lazy way:
type a zip code in g's toolbar
scan top 6 returns for the word weather, then read the entry, taking note of which city and state's weather you're peeking at.
8^)

[SlowMove]

If you need a map, just enter zip code in mapquest or mapblast.