Points with Layer Download (Sidebar)

Updated by PolicyMap

As stated on the Data Download tutorial, the Points with Layer Data feature is the unique ability to find the geography and data that an address sits. For our advanced GIS users, this will join an address to a geography and give the FIPS code and data for that geography.

These examples are using the Modal download.


We want to find a list of high schools which are in school districts with the highest graduation rates in Oregon.

  1. On the Maps page, search for Oregon in the location bar and select the Download icon to open the Sidebar.
  1. We will add Graduation Rate from the Education tab as our data layer.
  2. Then add Public Schools points data also from the Education tab as our point data.
  • Filter the school points so that only high schools are shown
public-schools-filter-2
  1. Select Points with Layers which should state, “Graduation Rate for Public Schools…”
  • Select how the file will be delivered; via email or directly in the browser.
graduation-rates-and-high-schools2
  1. • Select Download Data.
  2. The file will show each high school with the school district and graduation rate for the districts.
graduation-rates-and-high-schools-results


In our next example, let’s say you want to find the Congressional Member who represents each university in Virginia.

  1. On the Maps page, search for Virginia in the location bar and select the Download icon to open the Sidebar.
  1. Load 4-Year Colleges and Universities from the Education tab as our point data.
  2. Load any data layer which has Congressional district aggregation (most Census datasets have this aggregation), so we will use Population from the Demographics tab.
Why are you loading population data when you only care about Congressional Districts? Because the Points with Layer feature requires a data layer for it to work
  1. Change the Shade By to Congressional Districts
  2. Select Points with Layers which should state, “Population data for 4-year Colleges...”
    • Select how the file will be delivered; via email or directly in the browser.
  1. Select Download Data
  2. Leaving the population numbers aside, you now have a list of all universities in Virginia and the Congressional District the school is in.
congressional-districts-step-results-2
Please note, this process can be used to identify any Census boundary (i.e. Census Tracts, Block Groups, ZCTAs, etc.).

Finally, and probably one of the main reasons why we wanted to create the Points with Layer feature, users that want to determine which addresses in their investment portfolio are in locations that are eligible for a federal program.

  1. On the Maps page, search for Pennsylvania in the location bar and select the Download icon to open the Sidebar.
  1. Add your dataset onto the map from the My Data tab
* Make sure your dataset has been uploaded using the Data Loader
  1. Add an eligibility data layer for a federal program

• We will use the CDFI Fund’s New Markets Tax Credit program under Federal Guidelines

  1. Select Points with Layer which should state, “NMTC Program Eligibility data for [dataset name]...”
  1. Select Download Data
  2. The file will show the Census Tract, the FIPS ID, if it’s eligible for New Markets, and the rest of your address data.

These are just a handful of examples that you can use the Points with Layer feature for. With over 60,000 data layers and hundreds of thousands of address, the combinations are endless. We hope this tutorial gives you some ideas on how to use the unique Points with Layer feature.

If you have any questions or want to lean more, visit our training calendar and attend a free session or contact us at any time.


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