GPS & Locating Addresses

Why doesn’t a GPS, or a web mapping service, correctly locate an address in Aitkin County?

This is a common problem not only in Aitkin County, but in all counties throughout the country. I’ve used my own in-vehicle GPS several times to try and find addresses in many different parts of the state, and out of state, without one hundred percent success. This is why I also carry a paper map in my car too! The reason that your GPS, or favorite web mapping service, such as; Google, Bing, Yahoo, MapQuest, etc., may not correctly locate an address in Aitkin County is because the data provider’s that provide those companies with the map data, are NOT using the same road mapping database as we use for the assignment of E-911 street addresses and for the dispatching of emergency vehicles and personnel. We have recently delivered our GIS road database to one of the major data provider’s for some of the above mapping services so it should be getting better. But we cannot control what content and map data that they ultimately use and when it is updated. Some of the online mapping services allow the user to report a problem to them. So, if your address doesn’t locate correctly in that particular service, please contact that mapping service with the problem. Also, if you are using a GPS for address location, it is important to get the map updates from the GPS provider on an annual basis.

A good alternative is to use Google Earth to find the approximate X and Y Coordinates, (latitude and longitude), of any location you’re trying to find and enter those coordinates into your GPS. The best and most up to date source currently for correctly locating addresses in Aitkin County is to use our interactive web mapping service, LINK NXG. You can locate addresses in Aitkin County using the 'Search by Address' or ‘Custom Search’ function in LINK. For more information on the use of these tools, please refer to the ‘Help’ link provided in LINK.