diff --git a/helper/diffPlaces.js b/helper/diffPlaces.js
index 6909034f2..d464aa150 100644
--- a/helper/diffPlaces.js
+++ b/helper/diffPlaces.js
@@ -41,9 +41,12 @@ function isLayerDifferent(item1, item2){
   return false;
 }
 
+function isCountryCode(item, code) {
+  return field.getStringValue( item?.parent?.country_a ) === code;
+}
+
 function isUsState(item) {
-  if (!_.isArray(item.parent.country_a)) { return false; }
-  return item.parent.country_a[0] === 'USA' && item.layer === 'region';
+  return isCountryCode(item, 'USA') && item.layer === 'region';
 }
 
 // Geonames records in the locality and localadmin layer are parented by themselves
@@ -206,7 +209,7 @@ function isAddressDifferent(item1, item2){
   // only compare zip if both records have it, otherwise just ignore and assume it's the same
   // since by this time we've already compared parent hierarchies
   if( _.has(address1, 'zip') && _.has(address2, 'zip') ){
-    if( isPropertyDifferent(address1, address2, 'zip') ){ return true; }
+    if( isZipDifferent(item1, item2) ){ return true; }
   }
 
   return false;
@@ -255,10 +258,27 @@ function isDifferent(item1, item2, requestLanguage){
   return false;
 }
 
+/**
+ * return true if zip codes are different
+ *
+ * note: handle USA ZIP+4 vs ZIP (98036-6119 vs 98036)
+ */
+function isZipDifferent(item1, item2) {
+  let address1 = _.get(item1, 'address_parts');
+  let address2 = _.get(item2, 'address_parts');
+
+  if (isCountryCode(item1, 'USA') && isCountryCode(item2, 'USA')) {
+    const firstWordOnly = (str) => _.first(normalizeString(str).split(' '));
+    return isPropertyDifferent(address1, address2, 'zip', firstWordOnly);
+  }
+
+  return isPropertyDifferent(address1, address2, 'zip');
+}
+
 /**
  * return true if properties are different
  */
-function isPropertyDifferent(item1, item2, prop ){
+function isPropertyDifferent(item1, item2, prop, normalizer = normalizeString ){
 
   // if neither item has prop, we consider them the same
   if( !_.has(item1, prop) && !_.has(item2, prop) ){ return false; }
@@ -274,7 +294,7 @@ function isPropertyDifferent(item1, item2, prop ){
     let prop1StringValue = field.getStringValue( prop1[i] );
     for( let j=0; j<prop2.length; j++ ){
       let prop2StringValue = field.getStringValue( prop2[j] );
-      if( normalizeString( prop1StringValue ) === normalizeString( prop2StringValue ) ){
+      if( normalizer( prop1StringValue ) === normalizer( prop2StringValue ) ){
         return false;
       }
     }
diff --git a/test/unit/helper/diffPlaces.js b/test/unit/helper/diffPlaces.js
index 3ad68b95a..74ce09f2a 100644
--- a/test/unit/helper/diffPlaces.js
+++ b/test/unit/helper/diffPlaces.js
@@ -480,6 +480,32 @@ module.exports.tests.dedupe = function(test, common) {
     t.end();
   });
 
+  test('ZIP vs ZIP+4', function(t) {
+    var item1 = {
+      'parent': {
+        'country_a': ['USA']
+      },
+      'address_parts': {
+        'number': '1',
+        'street': 'Main Street',
+        'zip': '90210'
+      }
+    };
+    var item2 = {
+      'parent': {
+        'country_a': ['USA']
+      },
+      'address_parts': {
+        'number': '1',
+        'street': 'Main Street',
+        'zip': '90210-1111'
+      }
+    };
+
+    t.false(isDifferent(item1, item2), 'should be the same');
+    t.end();
+  });
+
   test('completely empty objects', function(t) {
     var item1 = {};
     var item2 = {};