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PolicyMap: Maps

Instructional guide on how to use PolicyMap, a Graphic Information System (GIS) data and mapping tool.

Using Maps

The Maps page is where you can easily display data across various geographies. You can interact with the map by zooming in and out by using the zoom bar (or using the mouse scroll wheel, or double clicking the left/right mouse button), pan around by clicking and dragging the map, or get more information about a place by clicking on the map.

 

1. Start by adding a location by address, city, county, state, zip code, or latitude and longitude coordinates in the top search bar. You can also select a different geography set from the location dropdown (i.e. Census Tract, Congressional District, School District, etc.). Block Groups are the smallest geographic area you can search.

 

Keep in mind that you are limited by the geographic sets available. For example, if you would like to search for Jamaica Plain, use the zip code. You can always try searching a neighborhood within a city - PolicyMap may correct you and give you the area's zip code instead (or you may need to find the zip code).  If you would like to create a custom region, such as an area that spans multiple zip codes, see the advanced features section in this guide.
 


 

Once you search for a location, an orange line will appear around the location.
 


2. Select a data layer from the menu at the top (i.e. Demographics, Incomes & Spending, Health, etc.). You can go up to three layers deep with some categories. Hover your cursor over each category to determine whether there is a more specific level for that category.
 


3. In the data layer, you can also adjust settings (through pull-down menus) for features like years and range. The default “Shaded by” setting will automatically change based on your zoom level on the map.
 


 

4.  Select an area on the map to see the value for a specific area.
 


 

Note: The most specific geographic information (therefore the smallest amount of data) you can find for some data is by Block Group, but some data is only available by county, city, or state.

If you’d like to find out more information about the data set, you can select the arrow next to the data layer title to find a summary or select “(see data directory)” for more in-depth information.