PolicyMap Newsletter: Where You Live Affects Your Health

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ON THE BLOG
Census 2020

Track Population Trends Using Census 2020 Data

For the first time in ten years, we have a count of the American population, revealing a highly dynamic populace that is moving, aging, and diversifying. Discover invaluable information for neighborhoods, small towns, our biggest cities, and regions across the U.S.

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Magnifying Glass

How Will Differential Privacy Impact 2020 Census Data Quality?

To help clarify the tradeoffs between accuracy and privacy and to address data security concerns, the U.S. Census Bureau is implementing a new privacy policy, often referred to as differential privacy, for the 2020 decennial data.

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CUSTOMER STORY
EHF logo

Episcopal Health Foundation Partners with PolicyMap to Advance Community Health

Episcopal Health Foundation uses PolicyMap’s comprehensive social determinants of health data and mapping tools to evaluate and advance the overall health and well-being of Texans. View their work with PolicyMap in the linked video.

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Updated Data

The Farmers’ Markets layer and point data have been updated as of 2021. Layer data shows the number and rate of markets in a given geography, while point data shows information about individual farmers’ markets. This data is updated on a rolling basis and available to all users.

The HIV Prevalence and HIV Diagnosis data have been updated as of 2019. The layer shows the rate, number, and percent change (1yr and 5yr) of persons living with HIV or confirmed HIV diagnoses. This data is updated annually and available to all users.

The Low or Moderate Income dataset is now updated to 2015-2019. These layers show an area’s median income (either household or family) as a percentage of the region’s median income. This dataset is available at the block group and tract levels to all users.

New data showing aggregated locations for shelters, community food services, and other relief services is now available on PolicyMap. The data is at the zip code (for counts only), county, metro area, and state levels for time frames from 2003 to 2019 and available to all users.

The Area Deprivation Index (ADI) from 2019 from The University of Wisconsin-Madison is now live. The dataset is available to and free for all users under Health > Risk Factors.

New indicators on the aggregated number of medical offices, pharmacies, and shelters at the zip-code, county, metro area, and state level are live on PolicyMap. These indicators will be updated annually

Residential and business vacancy data has been updated on PolicyMap to include the latest time period of 2021 Q2. This proprietary data is available to subscribers only.

2020 Census decennial data is now on PolicyMap. Variables such as total population, race (including both all and non-Hispanic), group quarters, and total housing units are available to all users. (The full decennial data release is expected from the Census Bureau in 2022.)

The Local Area Unemployment (LAU) data on PolicyMap has been updated as of August 2021. The layer shows the preliminary unemployment/employment rate and number for August 2021 and the finalized July 2021 data. This data is updated monthly and available to all users.

The Drug Overdose data has been updated on PolicyMap. The data shows rates, changes in rate (1yr, 5yr), and the number of drug overdose deaths in a given geography from 2003-2018. This data is updated on an annual basis and available to all users.

The County Business Patterns data on PolicyMap is now updated through 2019. These layers show employment by industry and is updated annually. This dataset is available at the zip code, county, metro area, and state levels, and is available to all users.

We are committed to our promise of curated, cleaned, standardized, and always updated data. We’re posting real-time updates on our website and Twitter.

Updated Features

Isolate Ranges: Ranges can be isolated and shown individually or with a group of ranges. Use the Layers legend to select the range or ranges to display.

Customized Base Maps: Customize and even change the base maps using the Base Map Settings.

Boundary Customizations: The Boundaries legend allow users to add and remove labels, as well as customize the line type, line width, and color for each boundary. This option allows users to display multiple boundaries and show differences between each boundary.

Shaded By Lock: The ‘lock’ icon will lock the Shaded By, allowing users to zoom in and out without the data recalculating for different geographies.

Points Legend Customizations: The points legend lets any points dataset can be customized with the option to change the icon size, shape, and color. This allows users to display multiple points datasets and give each dataset its own look.

The Clip Feature: 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.

Edit Custom Regions: Custom regions can be edited to change the area, shape, or coverage. For assembled custom regions, users can add and remove places; for radius regions, users can adjust the radius or move the centroid; and for drawn custom regions, users can move the boundaries.

Multi-Layer Maps: The Multi-Layer Maps tool allows users to overlay up to 5 data layers, create custom ranges for each in the legend, and the map will show only places that meet the criteria set. This gives users the ability to quickly find places that meet set criteria.

For visual instructions and more information, consult our New and Updated Features Guide.

In case you missed it

We’re hiring!
PolicyMap is growing. We are seeking an experienced, collaborative and highly organized
Data Services Analyst to join our team.

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Upcoming Events

Join PolicyMap at ASIS&T

We are excited to attend the 84th Annual Meeting of the Association for Information Science and Technology from October 30 – November 2, 2021.

The international conference is dedicated to the study of information, people, and technology in contemporary society. The forum is an opportunity to address these issues and push forward the positive contributions of information and technology.

To register, please visit the website.