Best Practice / Standard for storing an Address in a SQL Database

Question

I am wondering if there is some sort of \"standard\" for storing US addresses in a database? It seems this is a common task, and there should be some sort of a standard.

Answer 1

Very similar questions have been asked before.

Addresses are messy - at best.

It partly depends on what you want to do with the addresses. If you're going to use them to mail thing to people, then you simply need to record the image that will appear on the address label in a convenient form. If you're going to analyze the address, you have to work a lot harder.

Remember that the first time you have to deal with someone outside the US, all previous rules go astray. You may be strictly US-only, but beware.