Experimental Poverty Measures Public Use Research File and Release of Supplemental Poverty Measure Research

Posted on October 28, 2011 by

The Census Bureau has released a microdata file that permits users to create tables updating the National Academy of Sciences’ experimental poverty estimates. This file will permit users to construct 2010 estimates. These estimates are different from the supplemental poverty measure, which is the topic for a Nov. 4 technical webinar. On Nov. 7, at a Brookings Institution seminar, the Census Bureau will release a supplemental poverty measure that complements, but does not replace, the official measure. This measure is the product of years of research and collaboration with other organizations, such as the National Academy of Sciences and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A Census Bureau subject-matter expert will discuss supplemental poverty measure results and methodology at the seminar.

The microdata released on October 27, 2011 are available at: http://www.census.gov/hhes/povmeas/data/public-use.html.

Demographic Resources from Cornell University

Posted on October 27, 2011 by

The Cornell University Program on Applied Demographics (PAD) website possesses some great Census related resources. The first is a margin of error calculator for American Community Survey data which was created based on this U.S. Census Bureau document. The calculator allows you to enter values and operations in order to compute new margins of errors or test for significance of the difference between values.

Second, if you are looking for maps of current demographic data for the state of New York, then this site’s Census 2010 Atlas will be especially helpful. It has an easy to use index that allows users to choose what map to display. Once the map is displayed you can easily download a professionally prepared map in the form of a JPEG file.

The PAD website also has additional resources including white papers, presentations and more.

An Openly Editable Spatial Database: Wikimapia

Posted on October 25, 2011 by

A screenshot of Storrs, CT from Wikimapia.

Wikimapia is an open, online Geographic Information System that displays Google imagery and allows users to add information. Although the information displayed on Wikimapia is unofficial, the application allows users to build a spatial database and collaborate on a global scale, like Wikipedia . For more, visit the Wikimapia Forum.

Webinar – Using CLEAR Web Tools for Local Conservation Planning

Posted on October 25, 2011 by

The University of Connecticut’s Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR) is holding the last webinar of their 2011 series on Tuesday, November 8. The webinar will discuss CLEAR’s free web mapping tools for local conservation planning. It is geared toward users with limited desktop GIS experience. Check out the full description and registration link below.

Using CLEAR Web Tools for Local Conservation Planning

DATE: Tuesday November 8, 2011

TIME: 2:00 – 3:00 PM

COST: As always, it’s FREE!

Local land trusts and conservation commissions are major players in land conservation in Connecticut, yet few have direct access to technical resources that can help them in their task of permanently protecting open space. In many cases, web-based information and tools created by the UConn Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR) and its partners can help. These websites can be used by anyone — no geospatial expertise needed!

This presentation will use live online demonstration of these tools to show how they can be used to get a handle on state and local land use trends, and help analyze conservation opportunities. The “tour” will include examples using the Connecticut’s Changing Landscape website, the CT-ECO online mapping site, and other exciting destinations. We will leave ample time for questions from the audience.

Webinar FAQs http://clear.uconn.edu/webinars/CLEARseries/faq.htm

Cravify Maps Occupy Wall Street Tweets

Posted on October 25, 2011 by

Cravify features an interactive map of tweets related to the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations.

Cravify, a location based classified ads search engine, has developed a map of tweets related to the Occupy Wall Street movement. Similar to the map developed by ESRI, this map aggregates tweets related to the demonstrations and displays them over an easy to navigate basemap which, in the case Cravify, is Google Maps. Follow this link for more on Cravify or follow the developers on Twitter (@Trung_cravify and @humphrey_f).

An Update on ESRI’s Occupy Wall Street Map

Posted on October 25, 2011 by

The ESRI Occupy Wall Street map now displays locations of demonstrations.

A little over a week ago, I posted the ESRI produced Occupy Wall Street map. One of the items I noted was how the content was mostly limited to the occupation in Manhattan. Just over ten days later, the capabilities of this map have been expanded and the amount of content has grown exponentially. In addition to YouTube videos, Tweets, and images from Flickr, the OWS map now displays Occupy locations (which span the entire globe – see screenshot above) and a tool that allows users to quickly zoom to different cities located under the Areas of Interests button.

2010 Guide to State and Local Census Geography

Posted on October 24, 2011 by

Ever wanted to know what the historical center for population in a state based on decennial census data? Check out the 2010 Guide to State and Local Census Geography includes a quick summary of 2010 Census data based on geography. Check out these reports at: http://www.census.gov/geo/www/guidestloc/guide_main.html

Below is a quick example of some of the data available for Connecticut

CONNECTICUT CENTERS OF POPULATION

http://www.census.gov/geo/www/2010census/centerpop2010/historical/historical_cenpop_09.html

Year	North Latitude	West Longitude
2010⁶	41° 29′ 49″	72° 52′ 13″
2000⁶	41° 29′ 41″	72° 52′ 28″
1990⁵	41° 29′ 49″	72° 52′ 10″
1980⁴	41° 29′ 26″	72° 52′ 34″
1970³	41° 29′ 17″	72° 52′ 38″
1960³	41° 32′ 11″	72° 53′ 00″
1950³	41° 30′ 33″	72° 52′ 57″
1940²	41° 32′ 12″	72° 53′ 29″
1930²	41° 32′ 11″	72° 53′ 22″
1920¹	41° 30′ 08″	72° 51′ 47″
1910¹	41° 30′ 54″	72° 50′ 20″
1900¹	41° 31′ 23″	72° 49′ 06″
1890¹	41° 31′ 41″	72° 48′ 00″
1880¹	41° 32′ 49″	72° 46′ 21″

1  Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1923
²  Source: U.S. Census Bureau, recomputation for historical county level data which relied upon aggregate county level population data with an estimated county centroid resulting in a possible error of up to one mile.
³  Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Centers of Population for States and Counties, 1974
⁴  Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division, recomputation from archived national block group/enumeration area data resulting in a possible error of up to 1,000 feet.
⁵  Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division, recomputation from archived national block group data resulting in a possible error of up to 1,000 feet.
⁶  Source: U.S. Census Bureau, computation from national block-level data

The Uninsured Population of Connecticut

Posted on October 24, 2011 by

One of the variables measured in the 2010 American Community Survey is the number of people who do not have health insurance. In order to find statistics related to the uninsured population in Connecticut, I downloaded two tables from the American Fact Finder: Health Insurance Coverage Status (Table S2701) by state and by Connecticut counties, respectively. Connecticut has a relatively low percentage of the population that is uninsured; it ranks fourth out of the fifty states in the country (see table below). Out of the counties in Connecticut (see map above), Fairfield County has the highest percentage (11.7%) while Tolland County has the lowest percentage (5.1%).

Percentage of state populations that are uninsured from the 2010 American Community Survey 1 Year Estimate

Webinar – Taxes: More Than Just Income & Sales – October 26, 2011 from 2-3pm

Posted on October 22, 2011 by

Webinar – Taxes: More Than Just Income & Sales

When: October 26, 2011
Time: 2:00pm-3:00pm

Description: This webinar is the second installment of Association of Public Data Users (APDU)’s webinar series on the Census of Governments. This session will explain how the Census Bureau classifies and assigns tax revenues, what it publishes, and how the data is used for policy and macroeconomic analysis outside of the Census Bureau.

Presenters:

Cheryl H. Lee
Branch Chief
State Finance and Tax Statistics Branch, Governments Division
U.S. Census Bureau

Kim Rueben
Senior Fellow
Tax Policy Center
Urban Institute

Christopher Hall
Administrator
Tax Analysis Division
Ohio Department of Taxation

Cost: Free Click here to Register

MAGIC and Connecticut State Data Center Workshops – Fall Semester

Posted on October 21, 2011 by

Included below is a listing of upcoming workshops offered by the University of Connecticut Libraries Map and Geographic Information Center (MAGIC) and the Connecticut State Data Center for Fall Semester 2011. All of these workshops are free and open to the public. Links to register for each workshop are included below:

Georeferencing Maps – Basics
Do you have scanned or digitized maps you would like to incorporate within your research using ArcGIS or other mapping software? This workshop will provide an overview of how to take a scanned map and append geographic coordinates, a process known as georeferencing, which will enable you to create customized maps.
	Day	Date	Time	Location	Max Enrollment	Register
	Friday	11/11/11	1:00 PM to 2:00 PM	Babbidge Library Undergraduate Research Classroom	20	Register

Locating Census 2010 Data using the NEW American FactFinder
The U.S. Census Bureau has introduced a NEW American FactFinder online Census data tool with enhanced searching and data display capabilities in conjunction with the release of 2010 Census data. In this workshop you will learn how to use the new American FactFinder to locate and download data – and create thematic maps – from a wide variety of population, economic, and housing information in the 2010 and 2000 decennial Censuses. From information on individual neighborhoods or zip codes, to state- or national-level data, the new American FactFinder is a powerful tool for navigating the vast amounts of data made available by the U.S. Census Bureau. The new American FactFinder will also soon replace the legacy American FactFinder as the platform for retrieving data from the American Community Survey (the ongoing Census program which produces data on educational attainment, income, occupation, marital status, and other detailed social and economic characteristics), and will also deliver data from the Economic Census. Join us to learn more about how to effectively navigate the NEW American FactFinder.
	Day	Date	Time	Location	Max Enrollment	Register

	Wednesday	11/30/11	10:00 AM to 11:30 AM	Babbidge Library Level 2 Electronic Classroom	18	Register

Making Maps Online with ArcGIS.com

Want to create a map and share it with colleagues or a class? This hands-on workshop will provide participants with an opportunity to learn how to create maps using ArcGIS.com which can integrate data from multiple sources, be viewed on mobile devices, and create a series of maps to highlight areas of interest for projects and/or your own research.
	Day	Date	Time	Location	Max Enrollment	Register
	Monday	10/24/11	2:00 PM to 3:00 PM	Babbidge Library Level 1 Electronic Classroom	20	Register
	Wednesday	10/26/11	10:00 AM to 11:00 AM	Babbidge Library Level 1 Electronic Classroom	20	Register