Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Tools

Harvard provides access to several tools that allow you to map data:

• SimplyAnalytics:  web-based mapping tool that incorporates market research data from Experian Simmons and Claritas Prizm, business demographic data from Dun & Bradstreet, as well as demographic data including income, age, race and educational attainment from the US Census.

• Business Analyst Online: access to data on demographics and businesses in the USA. Business Analyst Online is intended for commercial audiences focused primarily on site selection. Access to is database is provided through Harvard University’s Esri site license, only for HUID holders.

• PolicyMap:  web-based GIS platform for the United States. It captures data through custom demographic maps, tables, reports and analytics. PolicyMap's can incorporate your own data and leverage it against the thousands of indicators already available. Available data includes demographics, home sale statistics, health data, mortgage trends, school performance scores and labor data like unemployment, crime statistics and city crime rates

• Social Explorer:  Presents historical census data for the United States through the use of interactive maps and reports. Currently provides access to data from 1940 to 2000 at census tract, county, state and national level.

• Social Progress Index: Provides access to the US Social Progress Map and the Social Progress Index Time Series to measure the social progress at the state level or global level via interactive maps. HBS users also have access to the Social Progress Index Time Series data.

The Harvard Center for Geographic Analysis includes software, data, current projects at Harvard, and other resources of interest to the GIS community.  The Center also hosts training workshops and online video tutorials.

U.S. Cluster Mapping:  Allows you to explore regions by analyzing cluster or to find clusters of a given industry. Supported by the Harvard Business School and U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration.

eAtlas of Human Development:  free online application from the World Bank.  It facilitates creating maps out of Human Development Indicators such as income distribution, educational attainment and availability of water.