In SQL Server can you find the first number in a string?

Question

I have a varchar(50) sql server column with data like this:

RawData
----------------------------
Washington 40 New Orleans 32
Detroit 27 St. Louis 23
         


        

Answer 1

Is there a way to identify the position of the first number in a string?

Yes

SELECT PATINDEX('%[0-9]%','Washington 40 New Orleans 32')

PATINDEX returns 0 if the pattern can't be found or the 1 based index of the beginning of the match otherwise.