Get started with U.S. Updated Demographics

Part 3: Work with Updated Demographics data

In  Part 1: Understanding the Updated Demographics portfolio tutorial , you learned about the basics of Updated Demographics data -what it is, who creates the data, and its advantages over other data sources. In  Part 2: Explore lifestyle, behavioral, business, and census data , you learned about the other types of analytical databases that coincide with and round out the Updated Demographics portfolio. In this section, we provide four quick steps to help you access and start using the data.


How to start

 Choosing data  in many ways is like using a road map. Before you can begin any meaningful analysis, you need to know your starting point and destination. In this next section, we outline four basic steps as a guide to working with Updated Demographics:

  1. Set a goal or goals for your project
  2. Explore Updated Demographics variables
  3. Decide which Updated Demographics data you want to use in your analysis
  4. Gain access to Updated Demographics data

Let's break down each of these steps.

Step 1

Set a goal, or goals for your project

One of the first steps toward choosing the right data for your project is defining your goal or goals. For example, do you need data for such thing as the following:

  • Conducting site selection research to open new retail locations
  • Planning new community centers for youth or seniors, or for affordable housing locations
  • Optimizing merchandise selections to best serve your community at your existing retail location,
  • Strategizing tailored marketing and advertising campaigns,
  • Learning where your ideal customers are within your trade area
Setting goal image
Setting goal image

Step 2

Explore Updated Demographics variables

Understanding what type of demographics are available from Esri is critical and allows you to use the best data possible for your data analysis.

There are several ways to explore demographic data tables and variables that Esri provides. For example, you can view variable lists within  Esri data catalogs  (in Excel format).

Each data catalog contains a table of contents. Hyperlinks allow you to jump to specific data content of interest. You can click tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet to explore the variables within the data category.

Sample view of Esri's data catalog
Sample view of Esri's data catalog

The online  Data Browser  provides an interactive way to explore Esri demographic data for the United States and for more than 170 other countries.

Esri Data Browser image
Esri Data Browser image

Data browsers are also accessible in app interface products such as  ArcGIS Business Analyst . You can view and explore data by browsing each of the categories.

You can revisit the  Learn essential demographic data skills Part 2: Data about people tutorial  if you need a refresher on how to use the data browser.

You can view data from a number of sample reports or infographics within Esri software products. This is a sample Age by Sex Profile report, available with an  ArcGIS Business Analyst Web App  subscription.

You can also purchase (and view)  Esri reports  without a software license. This option is ideal if you analyze 50 or fewer reports a year.

Step 3

Decide which Updated Demographics data you want to use in your analysis

Once you explore all the data possibilities, you can decide which specific data tables or variables you need for your analysis.

The most common Updated Demographics datasets such as age, population, race, and income, can be found in Esri reports or infographics and used as part of your analysis. These variables help build a profile of the area you are researching to gain a better understanding of the population within your geographic area of interest.

Step 4

Gain access to Updated Demographics data

There are many ways to gain access to Updated Demographics. You can access demographics using Esri software and through apps such as  ArcGIS Business Analyst ,   ArcGIS for Excel , or ready-to-use maps from  ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World.  

For use outside of the Esri platform, data files are available in CSV, dBase, Excel, shapefile, or file geodatabase formats.

 Contact Esri Data Sales Specialists with data questions at 800-447-9778 or send an email to: datasales@esri.com 

In this next section we show how to access data for a typical site location example using Esri reports and maps.

Let’s say you wanted to open a new dental office and need to learn about the demographic composition of a proposed site.

One way to start your data project is to use  ArcGIS Business Analyst Web App . Within the app, you can choose from infographics or standard reports. For this example, a Demographic and Income Profile report for a 30-minute drive time was chosen.

This two-page report summarizes important information that not only describes age, income, race, and tenure, but also highlights how these statistics have changed (or expected to change using Esri’s five-year forecast) since 2020.

Sample Demographic and Income Profile report

The second page of the report uses charts and graphs for a quick overview of key demographics when doing site location analysis.

What we learn A demographic report provides valuable insight into an area. For example, we learn the proposed site reveals the majority of occupied housing units are owned, the people in this trade area earn close to a median annual income of $95,000, and have a median age of nearly 44 years.

Page 2 of Esri's Demographic and Income Profile report

Site location using additional data

Incorporating additional data information for the same proposed site location from earlier helps to answer these two questions:

  1. Are direct competitors present in my proposed trade area?
  2. Is there a high demand for dental services?

To help us answer the question of the number of competitors in the area, we created a potential site location analysis using drive times and competitor business locations using ArcGIS Business Analyst Web App. The map image displays polygons for every dental office within a 10-, 20-, and 30- minute drive time using the proposed site address information.

What we learn Running a proximity analysis and adding relevant business locations onto a map can help evaluate the competitive landscape. Knowing the spatial distribution of direct competitors, coupled with insights gleaned from Esri's demographic profiles will add further clarity to your analysis.

Sample Proximity Analysis map image

Next, to help us understand whether there is high demand for dental services in the area, the same web app was used to access Esri Market Potential data. Within the app, a map was created using the index variable of persons who visited a dentist within the last 12 months. Areas in dark brown have the highest demand for dental services. Areas in white show average demand, while areas in dark teal highlight the lowest demand.

What we learn: With the use of Updated Demographics, market potential, and business data, we now have better insight to determine if the proposed site should be considered for opening a dentist office.

Read how   Mortenson Dental Partners   uses Esri data to help understand consumer growth, and its competitive landscape.


Next steps

Updated Demographics provides decision makers with the most current information available to understand and track changes in the population, consumer behavior, and broader market area trends. In this tutorial series, you learned about key aspects of working with Updated Demographics data. Over the course of these three stories, you learned the following:

  • What is Updated Demographics data, who creates the data, and why use it
  • Other key data tables that comprise the Updated Demographics portfolio
  • How to start a data analysis project, including a site location example
  • How to explore data using browsers and catalogs
  • How to gain access to the data using Esri software products, reports, or stand-alone files

To continue learning about Updated Demographics -how to best use and interpret the data, explore the tutorial series below. Databases such as Tapestry, Market Potential, Daytime Population, Labor Force, index-ratio measures, and many others are available.


Learn more

Data methodologies

Esri data estimates and forecasts are developed from a mix of inputs from  Esri U.S. Updated Demographics , the decennial census, the ACS, and business data from Data Axle. Represented as point-in-time estimates as of July 1, the data is available for Esri’s standard geographic areas and for any user-defined polygon such as a ring or drive time.  Read the Esri Updated Demographics Methodology Statement for more information 

Frequently asked questions

Use our  data reference page  to help answer additional questions about Esri Demographics.

Helpful links


Connect with us

If you have a topic you would like covered in a data tutorial to help you better understand U.S. data, send us an e-mail with your topic idea.

About this story

This story was created by Donna Fancher in collaboration with the Esri Data Development team. To start working with the U.S. data collection, visit the   Esri Location Data Resources   page.

Led by chief demographer Kyle Cassal and economist Douglas Skuta, Esri's Data Development team uses sophisticated quantitative methods to produce small area demographic and socioeconomic data to support informed decision-making. The team builds on a rich history of market intelligence to produce trusted independent estimates and forecasts for the United States based on innovative methodologies that use public and private data sources with the power of ArcGIS. Esri's Data Development team provides more than 7,000 proprietary data items to better understand the characteristics of people and places across multiple statistical and administrative boundaries and custom trade areas.

Esri, the Esri globe logo, The Science of Where, Tapestry, ArcGIS, esri.com, and @esri.com are trademarks, service marks, or registered marks of Esri in the United States, the European Community, or certain other jurisdictions. Other companies and products or services mentioned herein may be trademarks, service marks, or registered marks of their respective mark owners.

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