Why people check which state they are in
On a long drive, state lines come and go without much notice, especially at night or on smaller roads. Knowing the state matters more than it seems. Speed limits, cell phone laws, fireworks and alcohol rules, hunting and fishing licences, and sales tax all change at the line.
It also matters for timing. Several states are split between two time zones, and some border areas follow the time of a neighbouring state. Checking the state and then the county tells you which rules apply where you are standing.
Other times the question is simply curiosity: on a train, in the air on an in-flight Wi-Fi connection, or while hiking near a state line.
How the page decides your state
The page reads your device's position and asks OpenStreetMap for the address of that point. State boundaries are mapped precisely, so the state in that answer is based on the line itself. The green sign puts the state in large type and the city and county underneath.
Near a state line, the accuracy of your position is the limit. If your phone says it is accurate to 50 metres and the line is 20 metres away, the reading could fall on either side. Stepping outside for a satellite fix helps.
Places where the answer is unusual
- Washington, D.C. is not in any state. The sign shows District of Columbia.
- Tribal lands are inside states on the map, but many state laws do not apply there in the usual way. The sign shows the state; the tribal nation's own rules may also apply.
- US territories such as Puerto Rico, Guam and the US Virgin Islands show their territory name.
- Outside the US, the sign shows the province, region or equivalent division the local map uses.
- On a lake or river boundary, the line often runs down the middle of the water. A boat can cross it several times in an hour.
Checking the state for an address or coordinates
You do not need to be there. Type an address, a town name or a pair of coordinates into the search box, and the page shows the state, county and city for that point. That is handy for working out which state a campsite, a remote property or a photo location is in.