What State Is Ma? Complete Guide to Massachusetts Abbreviation, Capital & Facts
By Alexander Ross
USPS address processing centers process hundreds of millions of letters nightly using high-speed Optical Character Readers (OCR). These machines scan recipient addresses from the bottom up, searching first for the city, state code, and ZIP code line.
Strict postal formatting rules require specific styling:
- Use uppercase block letters: Write MA, never "Mass." or "Ma."
- Omit punctuation: Do not place a period after the letters (avoid "M.A.").
- Spacing precision: Separate the state code from the ZIP code with one or two clear spaces.
Every state occupies a specific numeric tier within the national postal network. Because the five-digit ZIP code system begins numbering in the northeast and moves westward, Massachusetts properties utilize a leading zero. The initial ZIP code prefix range for Massachusetts spans 010 through 027. Western communities in Hampden and Hampshire counties carry 010 and 011 prefixes, central regions around Worcester operate under 015 and 016, while metropolitan Boston and eastern coastal counties rely on the 021, 022, and 024 series. Omitting the leading zero in spreadsheet software remains one of the most common commercial data entry errors, causing systemic fulfillment failures in national supply chains.
Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.
