Should I Put My Address on My Resume? What to List for Location

You are about to send an application and your header has a blank where the street address used to go. Should I put my address on my resume? In most cases, list your city and state, leave the street off, and still show a location, because employers use it. Below is the wording for local, remote, relocating and student situations.

Should I put my address on my resume? The default is city and state

The default is a location without the street. The University of Arizona CALES Career Center page, which says it was originally published on The Muse, answers the question directly: you no longer need a full street address, but it is still a good idea to list a location. It defines that as your city and state, with an optional zip code, or your metropolitan area.

The federal view is the same. The NARA federal resume guide lists “City and state” under the personal information a federal resume needs. Roleframe’s answer on addresses, a resume builder, also says to list city and state only. Treat the Roleframe page as one tool maker’s view. The simple address on resume rule across these sources is city and state, no street.

Why the street address usually stays off

The sources give a few practical reasons:

• Nobody mails you. The Arizona page notes that the hiring process no longer runs on postal mail, so there is little reason for a company to need your full address before hiring you. Roleframe makes the same point.

• Privacy. Arizona warns that an exact home address tied to your name, phone number and email can fall into the wrong hands, with the risk highest on public job sites or fraudulent postings. Roleframe says a resume gets copied and forwarded to places you cannot see.

• Assumptions about distance. Both pages say a precise address can invite assumptions about your commute that you never got to answer.

If you plan to post your file publicly, the guide on how to add a resume to LinkedIn is a good place to check your header first.

Why you still list a location

Dropping the street is not the same as dropping the location. The Arizona page says a location helps recruiters and hiring managers make decisions about their workforce. Roleframe says employers use location to judge commute range, time zone and work eligibility. Both advise against leaving it off entirely.

Wording by situation: local, remote, relocating, student

All lines below are illustrative, with invented cities.

Local. Use your city and state. This is the resume location city and state format the sources describe.

Columbus, OH

Remote. Still list a real city and state. The Arizona page says remote employers still want to know where you plan to work from, for reasons such as tax rules and time zones. Roleframe suggests adding a short note, such as “Open to remote.” The two sources differ here: Arizona gives the plain city-and-state forms and does not mention a note. Either approach is a choice, not a requirement.

Denver, CO · Open to remote

Relocating. List the city you are moving to, with a date if you have one. The Arizona page suggests wording such as “Relocating to” with the city and a time frame, or “Open to relocating to” if the move depends on getting the job. This is what relocating on resume wording looks like:

Relocating to Seattle, WA, June 2027

Student. Use one location, the one where you can be reached or where the job is. Roleframe advises picking the single city that matters for the job instead of listing a campus address and a home address.

Madison, WI

Zip code: where sources disagree

The sources split on the zip code. The Arizona page allows “City, State Zip,” and says a zip code is a good idea when your city name does not tell the reader where you are. Roleframe says to omit the zip code. This is a choice. If your city name is clear to a reader, you can leave the zip off. If it is not, adding it or naming your metropolitan area can help.

Where the full address does belong

Give the full address only where it is truly needed, such as a secure application form or a later background check. The Arizona page lists exceptions where a resume may need it: some federal jobs, jobs outside the United States and Canada, and hyperlocal roles where living nearby is a plus. NARA’s guide uses city and state for a federal resume, though a specific posting can still ask for more, so follow the posting.

Quick header check

Before you send the resume, check three things:

• A location is present.

• There is no street address.

• The wording fits your situation: local, remote, relocating or student.

A location line is read as a header field, as covered in how an ATS reads a resume.

FAQ

Should I list a city if I am between homes?

List the place where you can be reached, or use the relocating wording with a target city and date.

Does my location rule out remote jobs?

No. Still list a real city and state. You can add an open-to-remote note if you like, as Roleframe suggests.

Is it wrong to leave off a location entirely?

Both main sources advise against it. The Arizona page says not having any location can leave recruiters unsure whether you know the job is not in your area or are willing to relocate.

Conclusion: City, state, and the right wording

List your city and state, skip the street, and pick the wording that fits your situation. Give the full address only on a secure form that asks for it.