New Library Resource: Visualize Local and National Data with PolicyMap

Explore Data Like Never Before With PolicyMap!

We’re thrilled to announce that the library now offers access to PolicyMap, a powerful online geographic information system (GIS) that brings thousands of datasets to your fingertips. Whether you're working on a research paper, preparing a presentation, writing a grant proposal, or conducting community-based research, PolicyMap makes it easy to visualize and analyze data through interactive maps, tables, and reports.

What Can You Discover With PolicyMap?

PolicyMap pulls from over 170 public and proprietary sources, offering a rich collection of data across multiple categories:

• Demographics: Population, race, age, elections, language, religion
• Income & Spending: income levels, poverty, federal tax returns, consumer spending, affordability, food insecurity, economic mobility
• Housing: home sales, home values, property tax, rents and rental units, housing affordability and cost burdens, homelessness, flood risk
• Lending: small business loans, banking locations, mortgage loans, federal programs, credit insecurity
• Quality of Life: criminal justice, computer and internet access, transportation, environmental and disaster risk, food access, cultural institutions, parks
• Economy: jobs and industries, small business and startups, infrastructure, business vacancy, government spending, employment and unemployment, workforce characteristics, job and worker accessibility
• Education: education locations, school enrollment, educational attainment, school rating performance, cost of college
• Health: health facility locations, vital statistics, health conditions, risk factors, costs and insurance, access to medical care, food access, social determinants of health
• Federal Guidelines: FEMA disaster declarations, tax credit programs, housing and urban development, climate and economic justice screening tool
• Market Segmentation: Data from Claritas PRIZM Premier

GIS experience is not necessary to use PolicyMap! To get started, check out this 5-minute introductory video that walks you through the basics of navigating and using the platform.

Access PolicyMap & Get Help

Access PolicyMap through our Databases A-Z page. For quick help, explore the videos and instructions in the Help Docs section in PolicyMap. Our reference librarians are also available to help you use PolicyMap. Visit the Research Help page to view our contact information or schedule a consultation.