VDA Mapserver: Comparing Census Tracts & ZIP Codes

.. for small area demographic-economic analysis, census tracts and ZIP code areas both have their advantages and disadvantages.  While the same scope of subject matter data are available from the American Community Survey (ACS) and ProximityOne current estimates and projections for these geographies, it can be difficult to view how the geographic areas visually relate or intersect in a map.  A flexible solution, accessible by any Web browser, is the Virtual Data Analytics (VDA) Mapserver.  See details.  You can start using VDA immediately with nothing to install.

Visual Data Analytics Mapserver
The VDA Mapserver is a learning resource, a tool that you can use for interactive mapping and geospatial analysis using only Internet and a browser. The VDA Mapserver is set apart from related tools due to the scope and style of accessing data for wide-ranging geography and frequently updated demographic-economic subject matter data. Use the unique combination of Federal statistical data with proprietary current estimates and projections.

Other geographies and subject matter will be reviewed in subject posts.

An Illustration: ZIP Code Area 85258, Scottsdale, AZ

– click for larger view.

The above shows a zoom-in to ZIP code area 85258 in Scottsdale, AZ. A step-by-by description of how to develop this view is shown in this section of the VDA guide.

As shown in the graphic, ZIP Code area 85258 intersects with 8 census tracts. ZIP code areas and tracts are not coterminous. On average there are approximately 2.5 tracts per ZIP code area. But there are more than 150,000 intersecting combinations of ZIP Code areas and tracts. See intersecting areas and interactive table.

Learn more — Join me in the Situation & Outlook Web Sessions
Join me in a Situation & Outlook Web Session where we discuss topics relating to measuring and interpreting the where, what, when, how and how much demographic-economic change is occurring and it’s impact.

About the Author
— Warren Glimpse is former senior Census Bureau statistician responsible for national scope statistical programs and innovative data access and use operations. He is also the former associate director of the U.S. Office of Federal Statistical Policy and Standards for data access and use. He has more than 20 years of experience in the private sector developing data resources and tools for integration and analysis of geographic, demographic, economic and business data. Contact Warren. Join Warren on LinkedIn.

Business Establishment Characteristics by County

.. what are the number and types of businesses underlying county economies of interest? What is the employment size by type of business establishment? What scope of wages, earnings do they contribute? Learn more here.

The pandemic impact on businesses remains in flux .. this post tools and data that can be used to examine pre-pandemic business establishments and employment pattern characteristics by county. By examining pre-pandemic conditions, we can better assess the impact of how and why business, demographic and economic change and impact as we move forward. The magnitude and duration of the impact on businesses will vary by community/area and become more measurable in the months ahead. The “How & Where of Business Establishment/Employment Change” will be updated later in 2020. See related, more detailed web section. See related section focused business establishments by ZIP code.

Where Things are Made by County
The following graphic shows patterns of the number of manufacturing establishments (NAICS 31) by county for the U.S. 48 contiguous states. Inset legend in map view shows number of establishments by interval/color. View/examine all U.S. states and areas using the related GIS project. Create custom maps similar to this view for your regions of interest depicting establishments, employment or payroll for your type of business selection(s). Click graphic for larger view with more detail; expand browser window for best quality view.

– view developed with ProximityOne CV XE GIS software and related GIS project.

The above view shows patterns for only one type of business. Data are tabulated more than 2,000 NAICS/type of business codes. These data may be examined by county using the interactive table. Use the GIS tools and related GIS project to develop variations of the views shown here.

Using the Interactive Table
The 10 largest counties based on the number of manufacturing establishments are shown in the static graphic below. Click for larger view.

Use the interactive table to dynamically create similar rankings on employment size or payroll. Set a query for a county, metro or state of interest.

Updates
These data update in June 2020. Follow the blog (click button at upper right) to receive updates.

Learn more — Join us in the Situation & Outlook Web Sessions
Join me in a Situation & Outlook Web Session where we discuss topics relating to measuring and interpreting the where, what, when, how and how much demographic-economic change is occurring and it’s impact.

About the Author
— Warren Glimpse is former senior Census Bureau statistician responsible for innovative data access and use operations. He is also the former associate director of the U.S. Office of Federal Statistical Policy and Standards for data access and use. He has more than 20 years of experience in the private sector developing data resources and tools for integration and analysis of geographic, demographic, economic and business data. Contact Warren. Join Warren on LinkedIn.

Examining Health Care Infrastructure by ZIP Code

.. small area data providing information on sub-county and sub-city/place geographies are challenging to locate and use — particularly in context of demand for healthcare services and demographic attributes of associated neighborhoods. Develop insights into the healthcare infrastructure by ZIP code using the two related resources reviewed here — 1) individual ZIP code demographic-economic profiles and 2) ZIP code demographic-economic interactive tables. One way to examine the healthcare infrastructure for an area is to view/analyze the number and attributes (employment, earnings) of healthcare establishments by types of business/industry (such as physicians office or hospitals). Data and tools reviewed here provide insights into characteristics and patterns of national scope ZIP code areas — examine your ZIP codes of interest.

Option 1 — ZIP Code Profiles
.. examining the healthcare infrastructure in context of the related demographic-economic situation … the following graphic shows ZIP code 10514 (Westchester County, NY) with a bold red boundary.  Census tracts are shown with black boundaries with tract codes as white labels. See more about ZIP-Tract relationships. Cities/places are shown with blue cross-hatch pattern.

– view created with CV XE GIS software and related GIS project.

The above map graphic is part of a ZIP Code 10514 profile (click link to view complete profile). Section 3.1. of the profile shows the number healthcare establishments in the ZIP Code as partly shown in this graphic:

The portion of the table shows the NAICS/type of business code at left, followed by type of business description and the number of establishments at the right.

Examine other characteristics of this ZIP code profile and in context of others via this related Web section. These profiles update in May 2018.

Option 2 — ZIP Code Health Care Sector comparative analysis
.. examining the healthcare infrastructure for a set of ZIP codes in a state, metro, county or peer group … use the interactive table located here to view/rank/compare health care business establishments by type of business for a selected set of ZIP codes. This table shows a query placed on the table to show the total number of offices of physicians for ZIP codes in the vicinity of ZIP 10514. It shows that there are 14 offices of physicians establishments and 13 have 1-4 employees.

About These and Related ZIP Code Data
Data used to develop the tools/resources described above are based in part on the Census Bureau County Business Patterns program. These establishment data update annually.

ZIP code demographic-economic interactive tables
Use the following tables to examine a wide range of ZIP code demographic-economic conditions:
  • General Demographics
  • Social Characteristics
  • Economic Chacteristics
  • Housing CHaracteristics

Data Analytics Web Sessions
Join me in a Data Analytics Lab session to discuss more details about accessing and using wide-ranging demographic-economic data and data analytics. Learn more about using these data for areas and applications of interest.

About the Author
— Warren Glimpse is former senior Census Bureau statistician responsible for innovative data access and use operations. He is also the former associate director of the U.S. Office of Federal Statistical Policy and Standards for data access and use. He has more than 20 years of experience in the private sector developing data resources and tools for integration and analysis of geographic, demographic, economic and business data. Contact Warren. Join Warren on LinkedIn.

Accessing & Using ZIP Code Demographics

.. tip of the day .. a continuing weekly or more frequent tip on developing, integrating, accessing and using geographic, demographic, economic and statistical data. Join in .. tip of the day posts are added to the Data Analytics Blog on an irregular basis, normally weekly. Follow the blog to receive updates as they occur.

… February 2017 updates .. 5 ways to access/analyze the most recent estimates of median housing value and other subject matter by ZIP Code area .. updates on accessing/downloading/using American Community Survey (ACS1115) 5-year estimates. See more detail in related Web section.

Site analysis (Option 5 below)
– create site analysis profiles from a location/ZIP code.

Contents
Five data access and use options, listed in the links below, are reviewed. Each method illustrates how ZIP code demographic-economic data can be accessed/ analyzed/used in different contexts. The most basic data access/data download is illustrated in Option 3. The following links open new windows that take you to the related section with more detail.
• Option 1 – View the data as a thematic pattern map.
• Option 2 – View, compare, rank query data in interactive tables.
• Option 3 – Access data using API Tools; create datasets.
.. Option 3a – Extended ZIP Code subject matter access.
.. Option 3b – ZIP code urban/rural data access.
.. Option 3c – Additional API ACS data access resources.
• Option 4 – View $MHI in structured profile in context of related data.
• Option 5 – Site analysis – view circular area profile from a location.

Related ZIP Code Data Access & Use sections
• Interactive access to demographics based on an address
• Summary of ZIP Code Data Resources & Tools
• 10 Reasons to use Census Tracts Versus ZIP Codes
• Analyzing Census Tract Demographics by ZIP Code Area
• ZIP Code to Census Tract Equivalence Table
• ZIP Code Urban/Rural Geography & Demographics
• Mapping ZIP Code Demograhics
• Housing Price Index by 5-digit ZIP Code – time series; annual updates
• Housing Price Index by 3-digit ZIP Code – time series; quarterly updates
• ZIP Code Business Establishment, Employment & Earnings by industry
• ZIP Code Retail Trade Establishment & Sales by industry
• ZIP Code Equivalence Tables — ZIP Code to School District

Join me in a Data Analytics Lab session to discuss more details about accessing and using wide-ranging demographic-economic data and data analytics. Learn more about using these data for areas and applications of interest.

About the Author
— Warren Glimpse is former senior Census Bureau statistician responsible for innovative data access and use operations. He is also the former associate director of the U.S. Office of Federal Statistical Policy and Standards for data access and use. He has more than 20 years of experience in the private sector developing data resources and tools for integration and analysis of geographic, demographic, economic and business data. Contact Warren. Join Warren on LinkedIn.

Housing Price Index by 5-Digit ZIP Code

.. tools to examine housing prices by 5-digit ZIP code and how they are changing .. of the 17,931 5-digit ZIP codes tabulated, 8,074 experienced a decrease in housing value during the period 2010 to 2015. At the same time, 8,672 ZIP code areas experienced an increase in housing value. Housing prices increased for most ZIP codes from 2014 to 2014.  Find out more about housing prices and trends for ZIP codes of interest using tools described here. These data are based on experimental estimates of the Housing Price Index (HPI) by 5-digit ZIP code based in part on home sales price data from Fannie Mae- and Freddie Mac-acquired mortgages. See more about these data.

• Use the interactive table to view, rank, compare the HPI for all 5-digit ZIP code areas tabulated.
• Use GIS tools described here to develop thematic pattern maps; add your own data & geography, select different HPI measures or criteria; zoom to different geographic extents, label and modify colors as desired.

• Gaining Insights in Housing Prices, Conditions & Markets
  .. Characteristics, Patterns & Trends
  .. join in .. one hour web session — overview & connectivity details

Patterns of Housing Value Change by ZIP Code: 2010-15
The following graphic shows patterns of housing value appreciation by ZIP Code: 2010-15 for the Houston metro (bold brown boundary). The color patterns/intervals are shown in the inset legend. Data are not available, using the criteria applied (2000 base year), for areas not colored In the larger view (click graphic), ZIP codes are labeled with HPI percent change from 2010 to 2015. Click graphic for larger view. Expand browser to full window for best quality view. Use the GIS tools described here to develop thematic pattern maps for a range of data and criteria.

.. view developed using the CV XE GIS software.
.. click map for larger view and details.

Additional views:
• Atlanta area
• New York City area
• Washington, DC area
• Los Angeles area

Examining Recent Trends; Current Estimates & Projections
The interactive table presents annual HPI data 2010 through 2015. A much larger set of these ZIP codes show a negative change between 2010 and 2015 compared to the one year change 2014-2015; The data generally show more ZIP codes experiencing housing value appreciation 2014-2015 compared to the longer period 2010 to 2015. These trends underscore the importance of having more recent data for use in analysis, planning and decision-making. The next update based on transaction data will be May 2017 or later.

ProximityOne uses the HPI transaction data with other data to develop HPI current estimates (2016) and annual projections to 2021 with quarterly updates as a part of the Regional Demographic-Economic Modeling System (RDEMS). Experimental county-up (metro, state, U.S.) and sub-county estimates and projections are planned for the fall 2016 quarterly update. The model based estimates and projections include the number of units by type and value that are added to the housing stock used to compute a variation of the HPI.

Housing Price Index by 5-Digit ZIP Code: 2010-2015
  — Interactive Table
Use the interactive table to examine the Housing Price Index (HPI) by 5-digit ZIP code. The following graphic illustrates use of the table to show the 10 ZIP codes experiencing the largest percentage increase in the HPI from 2014 to 2015. Click graphic for larger view. Examine cities or ZIP code ranges of interest using tools below the table.

Join me in a Data Analytics Lab session to discuss more details about accessing and using wide-ranging demographic-economic data and data analytics. Learn more about using these data for areas and applications of interest.

About the Author
— Warren Glimpse is former senior Census Bureau statistician responsible for innovative data access and use operations. He is also the former associate director of the U.S. Office of Federal Statistical Policy and Standards for data access and use. He has more than 20 years of experience in the private sector developing data resources and tools for integration and analysis of geographic, demographic, economic and business data. Contact Warren. Join Warren on LinkedIn.

Retail Trade Sales by ZIP Code

.. what is the meaning of few or no retail stores with sales over $1 million in a neighborhood or ZIP code? Residential tranquility might be accompanied by limited shopping conveniences. What about adjacent ZIP codes? Absence of larger retail stores suggests lower economic activity. ZIP code 89109 in Las Vegas has 478 retail establishments with sales over $1 million — the largest among all ZIP codes. There are more than 4,700 ZIP codes with no (and more than 10,200 with 1 or none) retail establishments with sales over $1 million. See the interactive table below to examine each/all ZIP codes. Use data and tools reviewed in this section to analyze retail sales patterns by ZIP code. See more detail in related Web section.

Patterns of Retail Trade by ZIP Code
The following map graphic shows patterns of retail trade establishments in Texas and adjacent states with more than $1 million in annual sales by ZIP code. Four Texas metros (Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio) are highlighted with bold boundary. Click graphic for national scope, larger view. Expand browser window for best quality view.

– View developed using CV XE GIS and related GIS project.

As of 2012, there were 30,177 ZIP codes with more than 1.06 million retail trade business establishments. Of these, almost 500,000 establishments had more than $1 million in annual sales. Find out which ZIP codes and the characteristics of businesses in those ZIP codes using tools reviewed here. These are the most recent establishment sales data by ZIP code. They are not available from other national scope sources.

These data supplement the annual ZIP code business patterns data that provide data on the number of establishments, employment and payroll by type of business (NAICS codes) — but provide no data on sales. This section provides interactive access to the retail trade establishments by sales group for all ZIP codes. This section illustrates how these data can be used in GIS applications to examines patterns and associate these with other data. ZIP code and multi-ZIP code area profiles are also shown in this section. Examine market characteristics using profiles from ProximityOne for any combination of ZIP oode areas. ProximityOne uses the sales data to develop custom estimates of retail trade characteristics by additional categories linked with data from other sources.

Examining Retail Trade by Individual ZIP Codes and ZIP Code Groups
The following graphic shows ZIP codes (ZIP code shown by yellow label) in the New York city area. The total number of retail establishments (white label) and the number of retail establishments with annual sales in excess of $1 million (blue label). These ZIP codes are used in profile reviewed below. The interactive table below can be used to show that ZIP code 10036 is among the ZIP codes having the largest number of retail establishments in the U.S.

– View developed using CV XE GIS and related GIS project.

ZIP Code 10036 Retail Trade Establishments & Sales Profiles
• View ZIP Code 10036 Retail Trade Establishments & Sales Profile
• ZIP Code 10036 Group Supermarket Establishments & Sales Profile

Interactive Table
Use the interactive table in this related section to view, query, rank, compare characteristics of retail trade establishments by ZIP code.

The following graphic illustrates use of the interactive table. All ZIP codes are ranked in descending order based on total retail trade establishments. Click graphic for larger view. ZIP code 10013 in New York city has the largest number of retail establishments.

Use the interactive table to examine ZIP codes and establishment patterns of interest.

Retail Trade Business Categories
• Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers: NAICS 441
• Furniture & Home Furnishings Stores: NAICS 442
• Electronics & Appliance Stores: NAICS 443
• Building Material & Garden Equipment & Supplies: NAICS 444
• Food & Beverage Stores: NAICS 445
• Health & Personal Care Stores: NAICS 446
• Gasoline Stations: NAICS 447
• Clothing & Clothing Accessories Stores: NAICS 448
• Sporting Goods, Hobby, Book & Music Stores: NAICS 451

Join me in a Data Analytics Lab session to discuss more details about accessing and using wide-ranging demographic-economic data and data analytics. Learn more about using these data for areas and applications of interest.

About the Author
— Warren Glimpse is former senior Census Bureau statistician responsible for innovative data access and use operations. He is also the former associate director of the U.S. Office of Federal Statistical Policy and Standards for data access and use. He has more than 20 years of experience in the private sector developing data resources and tools for integration and analysis of geographic, demographic, economic and business data. Contact Warren. Join Warren on LinkedIn.

Business Establishment Characteristics by ZIP Code

.. among all approximate 38,800 ZIP codes in the U.S. with business establishments, ZIP Code 10001 has more than 7,200 establishments. 9 of the top 10 ZIP codes, ranked on total number of business establishments, are located in Manhattan (New York County, NY); the 10th largest in Miami. Use the interactive table to examine ZIP code business establishment characteristics of interest.

Business establishments are the places of employment that drive and characterize the economy. ZIP codes are the smallest geography for which business establishment data are available. ZIP code business patterns data can help stakeholders identify areas of employment, business opportunities and more. While we can obtain employment data (by place of residence) for ZIP code areas from the American Community Survey 5-year estimates (ACS), the number of establishments and employment by place of work are only available from the ZIP business patterns data. See related Web section.

Use tools described in this section to analyze patterns and characteristics of ZIP code business patterns. The interactive table provides data on the characteristics of business establishments for 2012 and 2013 by ZIP code. Use the GIS tools and related GIS project to develop variations of the views shown below.

Establishments by ZIP Code in Los Angeles Area
– number of establishments; click graphic for larger view

– View developed using CV XE GIS and related GIS project.

Employment by ZIP Code in Los Angeles Area
– employment by place of work for all ZBP establishments

– View developed using CV XE GIS and related GIS project.

Using the Interactive Table
Use the interactive table in this related section to view, query, rank, compare business establishment characteristics among a set of ZIP codes or for a specific ZIP code.

The following graphic illustrates use of the interactive table; click graphic for larger view. This view shows ZIP codes in the 3-digit ZIP code group 950 in the Silicon Valley area ranked in descending order on number of 2013 establishments. Note that Cupertino 95014 (Apple Computer HQ location) has the 4th largest number of 2013 establishments among all 950 3-digit ZIP codes.

Try it yourself:
– Click the ShowAll button below Table
– Key in a 3-digit ZIP to right of Find ZIP3> button.
– Click Find ZIP3> button.
– Click Estab 2013 button to sort the ZIP code.

Weekly Data Analytics Lab Sessions
Join me in a Data Analytics Lab session to discuss more details about using these data in context of data analytics with other geography and other subject matter.  Learn more about integrating these data with other geography, your data and use of data analytics that apply to your situation.

About the Author
— Warren Glimpse is former senior Census Bureau statistician responsible for innovative data access and use operations. He is also the former associate director of the U.S. Office of Federal Statistical Policy and Standards for data access and use. He has more than 20 years of experience in the private sector developing data resources and tools for integration and analysis of geographic, demographic, economic and business data. Contact Warren. Join Warren on LinkedIn.