Demographic Explanation

Base Demographics

At a glance: The starting point for understanding community size and composition.
These fields describe the size and structure of a community: total population, total households, median age, gender splits, and population density. They serve as the foundation for most other metrics, since many percentages and ratios are calculated from these base counts.

Fields include: Total Population, Total Households, Median Age, Female Population, Male Population, Population Density

Use cases: market sizing, benchmarking across geographies, normalizing other measures

Wealth & Economic Conditions

At a glance: Captures income, poverty, and inequality within households.
Income and poverty measures reflect the financial well-being of households, including both medians and distribution across income brackets. Fields like Gini Index highlight inequality, while poverty status identifies vulnerable populations.

Fields include: Median Household Income, Total Income, Gini Index, Poverty Status, Household Income Brackets

Use cases: retail site selection, affordability studies, housing development, nonprofit resource allocation

Race, Ethnicity, & Cultural Background

At a glance: Shows the cultural and demographic diversity of an area.
These variables describe the racial, ethnic, and nativity composition of an area, as well as migration patterns (foreign-born, moved from another state, etc.). They do not imply good or bad outcomes on their own, but reflect the cultural and historical identity of a place.

Fields include: Hispanic/Latino, Black or African American, Asian, White, Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native, Foreign Born, Migration Patterns

Use cases: diversity and equity analysis, cultural engagement, public health research, service design for specific communities

Schooling & Educational Attainment

At a glance: Tracks both educational outcomes and current enrollment.
Education fields include the share of adults with college degrees as well as student enrollment across grade levels and school types. Together, they capture both long-term educational attainment and current school participation.

Fields include: Degree Holders, K–8 Students (Public/Private), High School Students (Public/Private), Undergraduate Students (Public/Private)

Use cases: workforce readiness analysis, school planning, targeting education services, housing demand near schools

Housing, Marriage, & Lifestyle

At a glance: Describes household structure, housing conditions, and costs.
These measures describe how households are structured and housed: number of children, children per household, housing stock, rents, and property values. They connect family composition with affordability and housing conditions.

Fields include: Children, Children per Household, Housing Units, Median Rent, Median Property Value

Use cases: real estate analysis, cost-of-living comparisons, family services planning, housing affordability studies

Work & Commuting

At a glance: Reveals how, when, and how long people travel to work.
Workforce commuting data includes travel modes (car, transit, bicycle, walk, work from home), commute times, and departure schedules. These fields reveal daily rhythms and infrastructure dependencies.

Fields include: Commute Mode (Car, Transit, Walk, Bike, Work From Home), Travel Time to Work, Departure Time

Use cases: transportation planning, infrastructure investment, workforce access, remote-work potential

Other Civic & Social Characteristics

At a glance: Highlights civic, health, and connectivity features of a community.
This group includes veteran status, labor force participation, health insurance coverage, internet access, and voting-age population. These variables highlight civic participation, access to services, and the “infrastructure of daily life.”

Fields include: Veterans, Employment/Unemployment, Labor Force Status, Health Insurance Coverage, Internet Access, Voting Age Population

Use cases: healthcare gap analysis, telecom and broadband planning, veteran services, civic engagement studies, policy design

📌 Final Note on Interpretation: These categories should not be viewed as inherently positive or negative. They provide context. For example, long commute times may suggest regional job centers, while high diversity reflects cultural richness rather than economic strength or weakness.