Assessing Potential Data Sources

Each potential data source will need to be analyzed to determine if the data will meet your needs. This page provides an overview of the core criteria for this assessment.
Quality
  • Are the data valid and reliable?
  • Are the data timely?
  • Are the data comprehensive?
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Geography
  • Are the data available consistently across the equity atlas's entire geographic scope?
  • Are the data available at the desired geographic scale?
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Accessibility
  • How easy are the data to acquire?
  • How much cleaning and processing will the data require?
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Mappability
  • Do the data include location information, such as census tract, zip code, or street address?
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Updatability
  • Are the data updated on a regular basis?
  • Are the data available consistently over time?
These criteria are not relevant for equity atlases that are one-time projects.
 
CLF's data source rating system for the Regional Equity Atlas 2.0