1. What's in the Community Data Room

    1. User Toolkit

    2. How To's...

    3. Animated Tutorial

  2. Select a Data Characteristic

    1. Browse by Category

    2. Keyword Search

    3. Most Popular Data

  3. Selecting a Geography

    1. View a Single Area

      1. note: you can view more options under "Political Boundary"

    2. Choose multiple Areas

  4. Map & Chart

    1. Geography Selection

    2. Category Type Select

    3. Characteristic Select

    4. Understanding the Table and Chart Box

    5. Understanding the Map Box

    6. Advanced Options for Map Display

  5. Map & List

    1. Service Rollover and More Information

  6. Viewing the Map Only

  7. Viewing the Chart Only

  8. Print, Save, Download Maps, Charts and Service Lists

I. Community Data Room

The Community Data room displays data from Claritas estimates of US Census for 2008 and 2013, the 2005 American Community Survey from the US Census Bureau, the 2000 US Census, Economic Roundtable, California Department of Health Services, LA County Health Survey, California Health Interview Survey, and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) data. Choose from 90 different variables of demographic, housing, health information and other community characteristics to illustrate a community's strengths and needs. Map community resources along with these characteristics to show gaps in services and to improve allocation of resources.

a. User Toolkit

The user toolkit is located on the right side of the page when searching through demographic and health data to map. View animated tutorials on how to search the website and map data, access the user manual to find specific instructions on any particular section of the website, look up the definition of services and what categories to find them in, and review the data source directory to see where all of the data comes from.

b. How To's...

The How To's are located under the user toolkit. The How To's explain how to go through common steps on the website, such as selecting a data characteristic, selecting a location, or using the keyword search feature.


II. Selecting a Data Characteristic to Map

First select a search type by either clicking on the "browse data" or "keyword search" tab.

a. Browse Data

Select a category, subcategory and data source of the community data you want to view. Then choose a data source such as the 2000 US Census Bureau data, the 2005 or 2006 American Community Survey from the US Census Bureau, or 2008 and 2013 US Census estimates from Claritas, Inc.

Note: Depending on the data category you select to view, you can also choose from data sources such as the LA County Health Survey and the California Health Interview Survey.

After choosing a data source, select a characteristic of the data category, such as an age range or a particular ethnic group, to narrow your search.


b. Keyword Search:

If you do not know the exact name of the characteristic want to view, click on the "keyword search" tab and then type in a word that best describes a characteristic you want to view (e.g. health). Click the search box to the right and select a characteristic from the results. Then select a data year and source to view the results on a map.


Tip: You can type in a service term or keyword into the search box in the upper right corner at anytime on the site.


Choose from the list of results by community resource, service category, or community characteristic. The example below shows the results list if you were to type "health" in the search box.


c. Most Popular Data

To view a list of popular searches by other Healthy City users, click on the "Popular Data" tab next to the "Keyword Search" tab and select a characteristic from the list of searches.

III. Selecting a Geography

Select a geographic boundary to view the data.

a. How to View a Single Area

Healthy City provides a wide range of locations to view your data results. Choose from Census block group, ZIP Code, city, LA City Council District, LAUSD school attendance boundary, etc. After selecting the area boundary, type in your geography in the field provided and click to view the map.


Note: You can view more geographic options by clicking on "Political Boundary." Select from LA County Supervisorial Districts, State Senate Districts, LA City Council Districts, LA City Neighborhood Council Districts, etc.


b. Showing Resource Maps for Multiple Areas

You can enter more than one ZIP Code by typing a comma between each ZIP Code you want to view. For example, type "90066, 90034, 90291..." The map results will outline each selected ZIP Code.

Note: Select multiple cities or other boundaries by holding the "ctrl" button and clicking each area you want to view. Click on a location again to de-select it.


Then click to view the map and charts with your results. Each selected area will be outlined in blue. (The previously selected ZIP Codes are outlined below).

IV. Map and Chart

You will see a results page with a map of the characteristic within the geography or multiple geographies selected and a table illustrating the community characteristic data.


a. Geography Selection Box

To refine your search by changing the geography, click on the "change" link under Geography in the box in the upper left corner.


b. Service Category Selection Box

To add a community service to your map, click the "change" link under Service Category in the box in the upper left corner.


Select a service category and subcategory from the pop-up box.


Tip: You can close the pop-up box at any time without selecting a characteristic by clicking on the "Close X" symbol at the top right corner.

The map results show community resources on top of community characteristic data.


c. Community Characteristic Selection Box

To change the community characteristic you are viewing, click on the "change" link under Characteristic in the box in the upper left corner.


Select a new characteristic to view from the pop-up box.


d. Understanding the Table and Chart Box

The table in the bottom left corner of the page represents the community characteristic data that you are viewing on the map. If you cannot see the entire chart, scroll down to view all information.


e. Understanding the Map Box

The interactive map box allows you to zoom into the map, scroll over resource icons and click them for more information. There is also a legend at the bottom of each map corresponding to the community characteristic data on the map.


Note: Click the icon at the top of the map and then click any part of the map to find out specific details about an area's geographic boundaries and political jurisdictions. A pop-up box will display all boundaries representing the area you click, such as city, ZIP Code, LA County Supervisorial District, LA County Service Planning Area, etc.. Click on a boundary link to re-focus the map to that specific boundary.


f. Advanced Options for Map Display

You can change options for displaying the data on a map by clicking on "advanced options." Select to view data values by different geographic breakdowns, such as Census block group, Census Tract, City County, etc. Choose from options such as the number of classes you want to see the data broken into or the color of the thematic layers.


If you map two characteristics, results will be displayed with a gradient of colors for one characteristic and graduated symbols for the other characteristic.

Then click to view the map and charts with your results. You will see a map similar to the one below.

V. Map and List

Click the Map + List Tab above the map to view a listing of community services alongside the map. The services will be listed in the bottom left corner in place of the characteristic table and chart. Scroll down the list to view all services.


a. Service Rollover and More Information

From the "Map + List" view, click on a resource from the list of services or scroll over a resource point on the map and click the icon on the map to get additional information about the organization. Find out contact information, services provided, hours of operation, etc.


Note: If you are logged in to your "My Healthy City" account, you can add a comment to a resource for future reference. Click on the resource name on the map to reveal the information box. Then click on the "Add Comment" tab at the top of the information box. Enter a title for your comment and start typing in the comment box.


Then click to save your comment.

Click the "My Comments" tab after clicking the info box for any resource to review your comments.

VI. View Map Only

To only view the map result of a community characteristic and/or services without the listing on the side, click on the "map only" tab above the map. If you are logged into your "My Healthy City" account, you can save the map to your My Healthy City homepage.


VII. View Chart Only

Click on the "chart only" tab above map to see just the charts and tables of the data presented.


VIII. Print, Save, Download Maps, Charts and Service Lists

You can click on icons above map to save, print or email your search results at any time.