PolicyMap: Maps

To begin, make a map by searching for a location, adding data onto the map, and customizing the data to meet your requirements.

search for locations by an address or geography type (e.g., zip code, city, county, or state). Users can also search for more specialized geographies like census tracts, congressional districts, school districts, or metro areas.

The Data Search Bar allows users to search for specific datasets on the PolicyMap tool. Use keywords or a grouping of words to find the data you are looking for. Make sure to use the "Search Data" box to the left of the Location search.

Data can be accessed from the categories above the map. To add data, select a category, navigate the menu or sub-menu and select the data layer. Alternatively, use the Search Data tool to find data by keyword(s).

Use the data menus or data search field to add a data layer to the map. Multi-Layer Maps is a neighborhood search tool allowing you to find places that match up to five data layers on the map.

Once you have zoomed the map to your location, added datasets to display in the area, and made any customizations to the data layer or filters to data points, users can save a copy of the maps.

A chart of data sources available in PolicyMap. Find datasets for demographics, incomes and spending, housing, quality of life, economy, education, health, and federal guidelines.

The Clip feature allows users to visually isolate data to a specified location. The map will only show data layers and data points for the clipped location. Use the clip feature in a printout/export also.

When a data layer is added, the legend will display information about the data layer including; year, variable, geography type, and the value range for each color on the map. The legend gives you the ability to customize the data on the map by changing many of these aspects.

Data Points allows you to view point datasets, like addresses, on a map. You can view these datasets by themselves or on top of a data layer. When you load a point dataset, the Data Points legend will appear. The legend will display what icon the dataset is represented on the map, the optional ability to search, and the filter points.

Users have the ability to customize the information shown on the underlying maps including street names, town names, land cover, water labels, roads, and more. The base maps can also be changed to other unique layers like satellite maps, terrain, and lighter shade.

Users can overlay any of the boundaries used in PolicyMap by using the Boundaries menu above the maps.