Esri Mapping Center - Ask a Cartographer

Showing Student Population Densities

July 27 2010 | 3 comments
Categories: Symbology

I want to make a map that shows the density of geocoded students in such a way that is similar to a dasymetric map but that does not require all the extensive prep. Data that I have to work with are geocoded students, street centerlines, school attendance areas, parcels with zoning, and study areas that break up the attendance areas to residential neighborhoods.

Mapping Center Answer:

A dasymetric map is a complicated map to make since you are generating new output areas that did not exist before you started. That said,

There is a script that was written for ArcGIS 9.2 by Rachel Sleeter that help with dasymetric mapping: http://geography.wr.usgs.gov/science/dasymetric/data.htm
Or you can implement the steps themselves in ArcGIS as specified in a paper by Jeremy Mennis at: http://astro.temple.edu/~jmennis/pubs/mennis_pg03.pdf
Or you can use some easy to basic dasymetric steps as described by Mitchel Langford: Mitchel Langford, "Rapid facilitation of dasymetric-based population interpolation by means of raster pixel maps". Computers, Environment and Urban Systems 31(1): 19-32 (2007).

If none of these work for you, and you want to make a map that is not dasymetric, let us know!

Another dasymetric map reference posted by Aileen Buckley on Aug 3 2010 2:07PM

This just showed up today -- it's an article in "The Atlantic" about dasymetric mapping (http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/08/you-learn-something-every-day-choropleth/60720/). Note that the last hyperlink in the article takes you to another site about dasymetric maps (http://www.dashboardinsight.com/articles/new-concepts-in-business-intelligence/maps-of-the-2008-us-presidential-election-results.aspx) -- this site includes downloads to make maps of this nature, including some of the references I noted in the original answer.

Thanks! posted by Christopher Melendez on Aug 3 2010 2:24PM

Thank you so much. You have been very helpful!

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