Predefined (Census) Study Areas
A predefined geography, usually consisting of a census defined area, is a standardized geographical unit used for various administrative data collection, analysis, planning, and management functions. These areas may be defined by the public sector, such as counties, or by the private sector, such a Designated Market Area (DMA). Pulling data for predefined geographies are a great way to add benchmarks to your analysis!
Standard geographic boundaries for the US
- State
- County
- Core Based Statistical Area (CBSA)
- Designated Market Area (DMA)
- Census Tract
- Block Group
Standard geographic boundaries for Canada
- Province
- Census Metro Area (CMA)
- Census Division (CD)
- Densus Subdivision (CSD)
- [Postal] Foward Sortation Area (FSA)
- Census Tract
- [Census] Dissemination Area (DA)
Creating a Predefined Study Area
- First, click the Standard Geography Study Area icon
from the main tool bar.
- The Predefined Study Areas window will appear.
- The following steps describe each option in the Predefined Study Area window:
- Use the search bar at the top of the window to search for the area of interest. Use key words or number codes that will help refine the search.
- Specify which geographies you would like to search for (Counties, CBSAs, All, etc.). This helps refine the search.
- Once you’re satisfied, click Lookup.
- The search results will populate the Areas Found in Loop Up box on the left-hand side of the window. To select an area, check the box next to its name and use the right arrow
icon to move it to the Selected Fields box on the right-hand side of the window.
- Make sure all areas of interest are in the Selected Areas box.
- At the bottom of the window, you’ll see the Study Area Name box. Give your study area a descriptive name.
- Check the Save box to save the study area to the Saved Study Areas repository or to another table of your choosing
- If you have chosen to save the study area, check Share to share the study area with other Sitewise users in your organization.
- If you have chosen more than one predefined geography, you’ll see an additional checkbox. This allows you to specify how the data will appear in the profile tab. The data can appear as:
- Separate columns for each of the predefined geographies.
- A 'total' column representing the sum of the demographics from the predefined study areas.
- When ready, click Search at the bottom right of the Predefined Study Area window to profile the study area.
Now you should be ready to view the data for your selected geography! Find out more about navigating the Profile Tab.
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