GIS Planning

The Demographic Heat Maps Module is a feature that will add value to existing demographic profiles. The Demographic Heat Maps Module is an extension to the features and functions of the demographic profiles utilizing what GIS professionals call “thematic mapping” and is also called "heat maps." Thematic mapping of demographic variables shows the spatial distribution and concentrations of specific variables across a geographic view.  For example, thematic mapping of population, income, retail spending and workforce characteristics can show the highest and lowest levels of these data points within a community.

User-defined thematic mapping allows a business the opportunity to identify optimal locations for their business with a powerful geographic visual overview.  Thematic mapping combined with the hard-numbers of community specific analysis provides a powerful analytical tool to comprehend both macro and micro spatial analysis related to site selection.  By mapping the information geographically the picture paints a thousand words (or more correctly, thousands of data points) which can be easily understood in one glance. Website users are able to select a data category, then a specific variable, then the number of groups for which the demographic variable will be shown on the map, and then the format the user wants the data displayed (quantile/percentile or equal interval). Based on these selections the distribution of demographic concentrations is shown as a series of colors on the map interface.