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Reverse Geocode

Summary

Creates addresses from point locations in a feature class. The reverse geocoding process searches for the nearest address or intersection for the point location based on the specified search distance.

Usage

  • The input feature class must contain point shapes with valid XY coordinates. Addresses will not be returned on points with null coordinates.

  • The output feature class will contain the same number of records as in the input feature class. Additional fields containing the result addresses are added to the feature class. The names of the fields are prefixed with REV_. If an address cannot be found, the fields will contain empty values.

  • If the spatial reference of the input feature class is different from the address locator, the address locator will transform the coordinates on the fly and try to find the match. The output feature class will be saved in the same spatial reference as the input feature class. Changing the spatial reference of the output feature class is possible by setting a different output coordinate system in the tool's environment settings.

  • If a point in the input feature class fails to return an address, it means there are no features in the address locator that can be associated with the input point. Here are a few common causes for the unmatched points:

    • The search distance is too small that the point cannot find any nearest features.
    • The point contains null coordinates.
    • The point's coordinates are incorrect and cannot be transformed to the spatial reference used in the address locator.
    • The address locator does not contain reference features in the area that can be associated with the point.

    You may increase the search distance so that the chance to find the nearest address is higher, or use a different address locator that contains more features or covers a bigger area to match the input points.

  • An ArcGIS Online for organizations subscription is required if you reverse geocode a feature class using the ArcGIS Online Geocoding Service. See Working with ArcGIS Online geocoding service for more information.

Syntax

ReverseGeocode_geocoding (in_features, in_address_locator, out_feature_class, {address_type}, {search_distance})
ParameterExplanationData Type
in_features

A point feature class or layer from which addresses are returned based on the features' point location.

Feature Class
in_address_locator

The address locator to use to reverse geocode the input feature class.

Address Locator
out_feature_class

The output feature class.

Feature Class
address_type
(Optional)

Indicates whether to return addresses for the points as street addresses or intersection addresses if the address locator supports intersection matching.

  • ADDRESS —Returns street addresses or in the format defined by the input address locator. This is the default option.
  • INTERSECTION —Returns intersection addresses. This option is available if the address locator supports matching intersection addresses.
String
search_distance
(Optional)

The distance used to search for the nearest address or intersection for the point location.

Linear unit

Code sample

ReverseGeocode Example (Python Window)

The following Python window script demonstrates how to use the ReverseGeocode function in immediate mode. 

# Import system modules
import arcpy
from arcpy import env
env.workspace = "C:/ArcTutor/Geocoding/atlanta.gdb"

# Set local variables:
input_feature_class = "geocode_result"
address_locator = "C:/ArcTutor/Geocoding/Atlanta.loc"
result_feature_class = "customers_with_address"

arcpy.ReverseGeocode_geocoding(input_feature_class, address_locator, result_feature_class, "ADDRESS", "100 Meters")

Environments

Licensing information

  • ArcGIS Desktop Basic: Yes
  • ArcGIS Desktop Standard: Yes
  • ArcGIS Desktop Advanced: Yes