Creating a PHP Wildcard for Zipcode

I have a form where people enter their zip code in their profile
I also have a custom meta-field so someone can enter a zip code when posting a post.

So I can enter “87047” in my profile, and then enter “87112” in a post.

I have created a loop on the main page in which I want to display content that is relevant to the zip code in which a person has entered. This was part was easy. The problem is I want it to base it on only the first two digits of a person’s zip code.

So if I enter “87047” as “MY zip code” it only takes the “87” and references posts with “87” in the custom meta-field.

I think I need a wildcard array to say, “Are there posts with 87000, 87001, 87002,” all the way to “87999” in the custom meta-field and if there are to display entries from those posts.

Basically if I enter in 87047 I would also “see things” in 87112.

Here’s what I have so far…

<?php
$zipcode = $data;
$getlength = strlen($zipcode);
$thelength = 2;
$areacode = substr($zipcode, 0, $thelength);

$sqlGroupQuery = "(SELECT * FROM posts WHERE Location LIKE '87%')";
?>

<?php echo $areacode ?>

	 <?php

		 $querystr = "
		    SELECT wposts.*
		    FROM $wpdb->posts wposts, $wpdb->postmeta wpostmeta
		    WHERE wposts.ID = wpostmeta.post_id
		    AND wpostmeta.meta_key = 'Location'
		    AND wpostmeta.meta_value =  $areacode
		    AND wposts.post_status = 'publish'
		    AND wposts.post_type = 'post'
		    ORDER BY wposts.post_date DESC
		 ";

	 $pageposts = $wpdb->get_results($querystr, OBJECT);
 	 ?>

Like I said, “data” is working, and this is showing “87” when I ‘echo $areacode’ I just need the “wildcard” part to be added in.