The Westside vs. Eastside divide will
soon be official. Bend will get a new zip
code on July 1 to facilitate mail delivery
to one of the fastest growing cities in the
nation.
“As in most cases, with this ZIP code
change, it involves growth,” said Peter
Hass, a U.S. Postal Service spokesman
in an interview with The Bulletin. “ZIP
codes do kind of have a capacity.”
Last year, with a 2.7 percent population
increase, Bend was the seventhfastest
growing metropolitan area in the
country, reported OregonLive.com and
the U.S. Census Bureau.
“Deschutes County gained an estimated
4,400 residents between July
2013 and July 2014,” reported Oregonlive.
com.
The most recent 2013 U.S. Census
Bureau data estimates that Bend’s population
has reached nearly 82,000 residents.
This will be the fifth zip code for
bend, with 97701, 999702, 97708 and
97709 currently serving Bend’s residents,
businesses and the surrounding
area, reported by USPS.
According to the most recent data
from the U.S. Census Bureau, an estimated
58,602 people are served within
the 97701 area code.
The new 97703 zip code will serve
Bend residents and businesses located
west and north-west of Highway 97.
This will include Central Oregon Community
College.
Residents and individuals were notified
of the change in their zip code in late
May.
“Customers in the affected area
should also use their new ZIP Code
when reordering stationery such as letterhead,
envelopes, promotional literature,
forms, and business cards,” said
USPS in a press release. “No other action
is necessary on customers’ part, as
magazine publishers, financial institutions,
insurance companies and utilities
typically use computerized customer
mailing lists, which update address ZIP
Codes on a regular basis.”
Mail with the incorrect zip code will
continue to be delivered for up to one
year, according to USPS.

Kelli Pangle | The Broadside
(Contact: [email protected])