2013 Un/Conference Content Curation: Low Cost/No Cost Cool Spatial Analysis/Mapping Tools

The Minnesota Rising 2013 Un/Conference: Cultivating Capacity for Collective Leadership was held on Saturday, November 16, 2013 from 10:00AM – 4:30PM at DLR Group offices in Minneapolis, MN. Hosted by and for emerging leaders, the Un/Conference engaged emerging leaders across Minnesota in an energizing day of innovative learning and dialogue, skill-building, and network-building with their peers!

Minnesota Rising is pleased to curate feature the content of our insightful and engaging breakout session speakers and presenters. In our Content Curation series, we highlight the ideas and materials of our 2013 Un/Conference presenters!

Useful Resources (Mapping, Data, and More)

Compiled by:

Nahila Ahsan

nahila@hacer-mn.org/ahsan012@umn.edu

1.      Mapping the 2010 Census (New York Times)

Interactive map that allows user to browse population growth and decline, changes in racial and ethnic concentrations, and patterns of housing development in any state from county level to census tract.

Web address: http://projects.nytimes.com/census/2010/map

2.      American FactFinder (US Census)

Source for population, housing, economic and geographic information. Website allows you to download many types of data into PDF, Excel, etc. formats. For beginners, navigating the website can be a challenge initially, but active interaction with the website will allow you to find all kinds of data and information on all levels (national, census tract, city, state, county, etc.) Types of information include gender, age, education, employment rates, population information, poverty rates, etc. Knowing your community is very helpful in planning services and programs and grant writing.

Web address: http://factfinder2.census.gov

3.      Mapping America: Every City, Every Block (New York Times)

Interactive map allows user to browse local data from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey, based on samples from 2005 to 2009. Because these figures are based on samples, they are subject to a margin of error, particularly in places with a low population, and are best regarded as estimates.

This interactive map shows distribution/segregation of racial groups on many levels: from city to your own neighborhood.

Web address: http://projects.nytimes.com/census/2010/explorer

4.      Quantum GIS (QGIS)

Quantum GIS (QGIS) is a user friendly open source GIS licensed under the GNU General Public License. QGIS is an official project of the Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo)

Web address: http://www.qgis.org/

5.      batchgeo

You can take a list of addresses or zip codes and instantly make a map with points! Free to use, but there is a paid version ($99 per month) with additional features.

Web address: http://batchgeo.com/

6.      Social Mobility Maps and Data (New York Times)

Interactive maps and graphics that show social mobility rates throughout the U.S.

Web address:  http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/22/business/in-climbing-income-ladder-location-matters.html?comments%23permid=137:2&smid=tw-share&_r=0/

7.      County Business and Demographics (Census Bureau)

An interactive map with more data. Data includes number of businesses, types of industry, and demographic information. Data format is in a very easy to read, organized format.

Web address:  http://www.census.gov/cbdmap/

8.      Social Explorer

Full access requires a membership. Some organizations, including libraries universities may have subscriptions. Membership is about $40 per month. The free version does allow some access to data and storage.

Social Explorer contains 220 years of demographic data, 18,000 maps, hundreds of profile reports, 40 billion data elements and 335,000 variables. Interactive tools allow you to easily create and share maps presentation and tables, or compare and analyze data using resources to create stories and discover amazing facts. The downloaded spreadsheet data is clean and organized.

Web address:   http://www.socialexplorer.com.ezp2.lib.umn.edu/

9.      Interactive map: Where are Minnesota's young people? (MinnPost)

Interactive map that uses age data from the census.

Web address:   http://www.minnpost.com/rural-minnesota/2011/05/interactive-map-where-are-minnesotas-young-people

10.  County Health Rankings and Roadmaps: Interactive Maps and Data (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation)

This site looks at a variety of measures at the county level data all over the U.S. that affect health such as the rate of people dying before the age of 75, high school graduation rates, unemployment, limited access to health foods, air/water quality, income, unemployment, obesity, and teen births.

Web address:   http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/

11.  Health Behaviors: Data and Interactive Maps (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

This site looks at a variety of behaviors that contribute to chronic diseases, such as lack of physical activity, poor nutrition, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, etc. The page contains a number of links to multiple resources.

Web address: http://ephtracking.cdc.gov/showHealthBehaviorsMain.action

12.  MyPlaces (Google)

Web mapping that allows you to create custom maps and share them. MyPlaces also allows multiple users to edit maps. You can upload data and manually add point, lines, etc. Great tool for participatory activities. Must have a gmail account to use and save maps.

Web address: https://www.google.com/maps/myplaces

13.  Many Eyes by IBM 

This site is set up to allow the entire internet community to upload data, visualize it, and talk about their discoveries with other people. Free to use, but must make an account. Note: uploading confidential data is not recommended.

Web address: http://www-958.ibm.com/software/analytics/manyeyes/

Note: Free videos, trainings, and articles are all over the web. Take advantage of these to refine and/or learn new skills J. If you want to learn how to make your own maps, there are tons of tutorials and videos online. Consider learning QGIS, an open source mapping software!