Demographic & Housing Changes Map Visualization: Python & Tableau

Start to Finish Data Management in Python

Click the image to open the visualization in Tableau Public:

I created this visualization for a graduate class at the University of Wisconsin. Edgewood, Washington is a city of about 13,500 people which has grown rapidly in recent years as its single-family-dominant housing composition has changed to include large apartment complexes. This project compiles, analyzes, and shares decennial census data for the Edgewood area using Python scripts and a Tableau map visualization, allowing detailed exploration of changes in the area. Data subjects include housing units, vacancy, tenure, total population, and populations by race and ethnicity.

The Python scripts compute the 2010-2020 changes in each topic for the area’s block groups and census tracts. Due to boundary changes across the decade, the 2010 census data needed for comparison to 2020 data were aggregated from 2010 census block data. The ArcPy mapping library is used extensively in the script. The interactive Tableau visualization includes tract and block group level maps that can be adjusted to any data topic, to display 2010, 2020, or decadal change.

• Tools Used: Python, ArcPy, Pandas, Tableau, ArcGIS Pro
• Student Project

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Multifamily Housing Development Visualization: ArcGIS Online & Tableau

A friendly way to overview apartment construction by city

Click the image to open the visualization in Tableau Public:

I created this visualization for a graduate class at the University of Wisconsin. The data source is a public multifamily housing dataset that I helped develop in prior professional experience. The data are hosted on ArcGIS Online. I configured this visualization with the goal of providing both an overview of apartment construction by city, and enabling the user to view each apartment in detail.

• Tools Used: ArcGIS Online, Tableau
• Student Project (Data source from professional work)

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Bike Tour Map: Illustrator and Photoshop

I designed my own Tour de France (Outside France...)!

I made this map for my Graphic Design in Cartography class at the University of Wisconsin. I planned an imaginary bike race route going from Kelowna, British Columbia to Helena, Montana. My assignment was to design a route about as long as the Tour de France, with multiple stages and rest days, and then to map the route with shaded relief and land cover as the background. The route also had to be across varied terrain and include mountainous sections.

Google MyMaps is a handy tool for obtaining driving or biking directions across multiple stops. I had a great time designing a route through some of my favorite territory on earth! MyMaps allowed for .kml file creation, which I then imported into ArcGIS Pro. I processed background images in Photoshop and then put it all together in Illustrator. The final map product is approximately 24 x 36 inches; only a screenshot is shown here. I designed my own land cover colors and textures; the shaded relief shown is an ESRI world hillshade.

• Tools Used: Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, ArcGIS Pro, Google MyMaps
• Student Project

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Tableau Population Visualization

A three-in-one visualization sharing research findings with the public

Interactive visualizations give the user power to explore research findings across several variables. This visualization allows the user to explore changes in population - and many other variables - as trends over time or as rankings across a type of geography. There’s also a map view for census tract results. It distills a large amount of research data into a clean and simple interactive.

Click the image to open the visualization:

The visualization shares findings from original population estimates research that my team and I produced at the University of Utah. We examined annual population changes at the census tract and city level across Utah’s two most populous counties (Salt Lake County and Utah County). The full research report and other resources are here. My colleague Emily Harris offered me a lot of advice for improving my Tableau creations - thanks!

• Tools Used: Tableau, Stata
• Professional Work

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Census Data
Access & Analysis

NC National Park Visitation Analysis

Is in-state visitation to North Carolina’s federal recreation facilities representative of the state’s population? This group project addresses that question using American Community Survey data from the U.S. Census Bureau. One of my roles was to analyze our data on income, age, and racial-ethnic minority status. I compiled data tables and wrote the demographic results and discussion section of our paper.

The broad context of our assignment, part of a spatial databases class, was to create a database and query and analyze the data to help answer our research question.

Click the image to open our group project report:

While this project is one example of interpreting demographic data, I have had many other experiences doing so. Having worked on a demographic research team, analyzing U.S. Census Bureau data was everyday business. I have experience accessing and analyzing a large variety of U.S. Census Bureau data via raw data files, data.census.gov, and other Census Bureau sites.

• Tools Used: ArcGIS Pro
• Student Project

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Census Geography Expertise

I navigate the blocks, tracts, and CDPs!

Map: Utah Places with Changed Status, Census 2020

The map above shows changes to Utah places (cities, towns, etc.) that occurred between the 2010 and 2020 censuses. This map is published in a quick reference sheet highlighting changes in Utah’s census geography over that decade. While working as a research analyst in demographics, we created the report to help orient data users to the changes in Utah’s geography before the release of the demographic census data.

• Tools Used: ArcGIS Pro
• Professional Work

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Salt Lake City
Story Maps

Visual Data Storytelling

As a research analyst in demographics, I collaborated with colleague Mallory Bateman to create a series of story maps explaining the demographic basics of Salt Lake City. These visual stories combine text, images, maps, and charts, and strive to walk the reader through the information in an engaging way.

Click the image below to view one story map in the series. I was the main author and compiler of this story, which is focused on educational attainment in Salt Lake City.

• Tools Used: ESRI Story Maps
• Professional Work

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ArcGIS Pro

My go-to for making maps...or books of maps!

I have created multiple atlases of community demographic information using ArcGIS Pro (and its predecessor, ArcMap). The most recent is the Salt Lake City Data Book: 2020. Click the image below to view the atlas.

• Tools Used: ArcGIS Pro
• Professional Work

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