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So you tested few geocoding services for the same street address. You got results varying by 0.7 to 3 kilometers. How can you tell which geocoding service was more right, other than letting your user mark their real location, compared to where you show they are, on a map?

feels a bit like a chicken and egg problem, unless you let the user mark their location on the map.

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    Can you clarify a bit more about the context and motivation of your question? Otherwise it seems too vague to answer.
    – blah238
    Commented Sep 21, 2013 at 10:39
  • I fail to see the vagueness blah.
    – matanox
    Commented Sep 22, 2013 at 14:20

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Consider this. What are the proper geo-coordinates for an address? Is it the center of the property? Is it the side of the property facing the road? How about where the front door is? Or where the driveway enters the property? This is completely subjective, and what you or I determine to be the right place for our property may not be the centroid of the parcel, or even the center of the house (or other structure). Difficult questions like this are best left to the only one who can know for sure, the user. Sorry, but that's the real answer.

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You could use parcel plot centroids as a reference for testing accuracy. However, the degree to which parcel plot geodata is available varies greatly. You will absolutely need to specify your area of interest before any response can produce a satisfactory answer.

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  • Area of interest - that humble part of the world called the U.S.
    – matanox
    Commented Sep 22, 2013 at 14:19
  • I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but availability of parcel plot data varies greatly within the U.S. Many urban areas have the plots available through Councils of Governments (COG's) or Associations of Governments (AG's). Sometimes they are available through unversity GIS sites. But much like crime incident locations, there is no central source at the national level that can be used for geospatial study.
    – Kotebiya
    Commented Sep 22, 2013 at 14:48
  • Thanks, I guess the best way would be if one could verify the coordinates with their smartphone GPS, and you choose to beleive they are sure they are at the spot.
    – matanox
    Commented Oct 5, 2013 at 13:55

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