ACS Data Now on PolicyMap
PolicyMap is offering data from the 2005-2009 American Community Survey (ACS) for free on its website at www.PolicyMap.com. Beginning with key indicators such as population, income, and educational attainment, PolicyMap expects to roll out the full spectrum of ACS data over the next few months.
All PolicyMap users previously had free access to 2000 U.S. Census demographic data, while subscribers were also able to view Nielsen estimates and projections. The release of the 2005-2009 ACS by the Census Bureau makes it possible for PolicyMap to update demographic information with these estimates, making PolicyMap even more relevant for users. The ACS data provides demographic, social, economic, and housing data from a sample of the U.S. population.
In addition to providing data analysis via its website, PolicyMap provides widgets – embeddable versions of the site – to organizations interested in tracking a particular issue. To coincide with the release of this ACS data, PolicyMap is also offering a free widget. Anyone can simply add the code for the ACS widget to their website, allowing visitors to view and interact with this data. PolicyMap will also provide instructions for tailoring the widget to show a specific geographic location upon request. The widget automatically updates when the data is updated on PolicyMap.
A service of The Reinvestment Fund, PolicyMap uses Geographic Information Systems technology to display key social and economic indicators for U.S. communities down to a neighborhood level. Available to anyone with internet access, PolicyMap is an online data analysis and interactive map tool which allows users to generate maps, tables, and reports based on over 10,000 data indicators. PolicyMap has also become an important tool for government officials, financial institutions, and private investors to generate analyses specific to their own mission. Local governments can use PolicyMap to view city crime statistics or view city crime rates for the entire U.S. and compare between regions.
In addition to the ACS, PolicyMap will roll out preliminary results from the 2010 Census as it becomes available in the coming months.
About TRF and PolicyMap
PolicyMap is a fully web-based interactive map tool that makes it quick and easy to gather and analyze geocentric information. A service of The Reinvestment Fund, a not-for-profit leader in the financing of neighborhood revitalization, PolicyMap empowers decision makers with better access to credible market and demographic data in an easy-to-use geographic information system. Visit www.policymap.com for more information.
