During these uncertain times, data people do, well, what data people do: look for more data. We gather, collect, and analyze all the data that we can find. It comforts us, and it helps us ask the tough questions.
We have been sharing what we can, specifically sharing our new unemployment data, free for download. Many of our partners have also been collecting data to share, and we want to share those resources with all of you as well.
Sites USA, who has been an AGS partner for more than 2 decades, were the first to create a COVID-19 data tool using our data. With our unemployment data at the county level, they have created an interactive map powered by REGIS online. Be sure that when you click on a county, you scroll back to the beginning of March to get the full effect of unemployment on our country. One of the harder hit counties, Allegheny, Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh) went from 3.3% unemployment on March 7, 2020 to 21.6% unemployment on April 4, 2020. Track the unemployment growth week by week, updated weekly when we release new estimates.
Spatial.ai has created a Google doc with COVID-19 Brick & Mortar Data Resources. This document summarizes what a group of us data practitioners in commercial real estate (retail/restaurant) are modeling, creating and learning. The document is designed to supply GIS and real estate professionals the free data and information they need to make smart decisions during and after this pandemic ends. Our unemployment modeling is included, along with other interesting data, all free to those who need it.
GIS Planning has put together a COVID-19 map, using their Mapping Intelligence Component to provide up-to-date information about the spread of the novel coronavirus across the United States. The health data comes from the New York Times and is updated daily. Select the entire country or any specific county or region from the drop-down menu, then click on the COVID-19 tab to choose which variables you’d like to display. You can choose to view by geography, or data layer. Again, you can find our unemployment data, but you can also track the number of total cases across the US, all in one place.
GIS Planning has also added COVID-19 layers to their zoom prospector tool, letting those that are searching for properties access unemployment data, total cases, and job loss vulnerability for the area that they are looking at. To find the data, click “map layers” on the upper left hand of the map, and click on “COVID-19”.
The Carto blog is full of resources and articles, from geospatial data insights, analyzing food access in NYC, and the route optimization of grocery ordering online. With fresh approaches to some of the challenges that a pandemic of this size produces, they are worth a read.
MRI-Simmons has conducted a consumer insights study which explores consumer attitudes and behavior related to the COVID-19 pandemic and reveals two consumer segments that have emerged as a result of the crisis. The full survey is available through MRI-Simmons, but they have released a sample of the data, which you can download and view here.
Trade Area Systems (TAS) is now including our unemployment data for all of their users and is available for all standard US census geographies down to the block group. More info can be found here.
As more resources become available, we will be highlighting more of our partners that are making data available to those who need it. We again invite researchers, hopefully with some epidemiological experience, to utilize our datasets without charge in the quest to quickly tame this virus that we might minimize both the loss of life and the increasing economic and social distress that many of us are now bearing.
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