State & Local Government Policy, Business and Technology

Using Data Visualization to Understand Wealth Divides in America's Largest Cities

Data-Smart City Solutions: The problem of unequal wealth distribution in American cities has never been greater than it is today. Nine out of ten metropolitan cities have experienced a shrinking middle class from 2000-2014, according to the Pew Research Center, and the middle class no longer makes up the majority of the population in the United States.

A critical step in addressing the problem of wealth inequality is understanding the nature of the problem and where it occurs in order to more effectively allocate resources and strategies like the promotion of affordable housing. Data visualization and mapping allow for a deep understanding of the issue and where cities struggle the most. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provider Esri created a story map, an Esri product that combines mapping with narrative and multimedia content, called “Wealth Divides” to give users a dynamic way to see and interact with data about this issue.

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