Let’s be honest. Including your full home address on your resume is a relic of the past. It’s a habit left over from the days when recruiters sent job offers via snail mail.

In this year, that’s not happening.

If you’re asking, “should you put your address on your resume” in this day and age, the short answer is no. Including an address on resume rarely helps your candidacy.

Your resume is a marketing tool, not a legal document or a tax form. Every line of text on that page needs to earn its keep. If a piece of information doesn’t help a recruiter decide to interview you, it’s just clutter.

Here is the truth about putting your address on your resume.

Recruiters don’t care about your house number

Recruiters scan your resume for about six seconds. They are looking for skills, impact, and clarity. They aren’t looking for your zip code.

Including your full street address takes up important space at the top of your resume. This area is the most valuable part of your document.

That space should be used for your name, your LinkedIn profile, and a clear headline that explains your value.

The Bias Factor

We have to talk about the “Commute Bias.” If a hiring manager sees you live 45 miles away, they might assume you’ll be late, tired, or quick to quit when a closer job comes along. They might reject you before they even see your results, simply because they’re worried about your travel time.

There’s also the unfortunate reality of neighborhood bias. People make unconscious judgments based on where you live. Your job is to make the decision to hire you as easy as possible. Don’t give them a reason to overthink your location before they’ve even met you.

Privacy is a priority

Your resume travels. Once you hit “apply,” that document lives on servers, gets emailed around, and might even end up on third-party job boards. In a time when identity theft and data breaches are common, sharing your exact home address on online documents is a risky choice.

So, for the common question - “should you put address on resume?” - the practical answer is to share only your general location.

The New Standard: City and State

You don’t need to be a ghost. Recruiters still like to know your general time zone or if you’re local to the office. The modern way to handle this is simple: City, State (or Metro Area)

That’s it. It tells them you’re in the right area without giving away your privacy or inviting unnecessary bias. This approach answers the recurring “should you put address on resume” question without oversharing.

What if you’re relocating?

If you’re applying for a job in a different city, don’t list your current address at all. Instead, use:

• “Relocating to [City, State] in [Month]”
• “Open to Relocation”

This shows you’ve thought about the logistics and you’re serious about the move.

The Bottom Line

A great resume is about clarity. It’s a highlight reel, not a full documentary. By removing your full address, you’re cutting out the noise and forcing the recruiter to focus on what actually matters: your ability to do the job.

Keep it simple. Keep it safe. Focus on the results you bring to the table, not the street you live on.