Community Economic Development Applications
using GIS
The UWEX Center for Community Economic
Development has been using GIS to analyze retail and service business patterns
throughout Wisconsin. The Center utilizes economic, demographic, and psychographic
data from public and private sources to help communities understand the changing
marketplace. GIS has proven very useful in analyzing spatial relationships
among communities and their businesses, customers and competition. The
ability to visualize data provides valuable insights that might otherwise be
missed.
Specific GIS applications at the Center
include:
- Trade Area Definition - determines
the primary trade area based on current customers of selected community businesses.
Customers are mapped by zip code, or street address.
(click on the image to see a larger view)
- Drive Time Analyses - estimates
travel time to a community from outlying points. This is important in
analyzing the boundaries of competitive trade areas from a convenience perspective.
(click on the image to see a larger view)
- Supply and Demand Analysis -
analyzes the locations of existing competition in and beyond a trade area
relative to consumer expenditure demand mapped by zip code or block group
area.
(click on the image to see a larger view)
- Building Inventory - analyzes the existing uses of
commericial space in business districts (retail, service, government, office,
residential, vacant). This is an important tool in planning the best
use of downtown space.
(click on the image to see a larger view)
- Customer Prospecting - profiles the demographics of
the neighborhoods of current customers. Using these profiles, other
demographically similiar neighborhoods can be identified as targeted markets
for marketing efforts.
(click on the image to see a larger view)
    
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