Numbers can be telling, but for some people, it can be hard to visualize exactly what they mean.
Kyle Walker, an assistant geography professor at Texas Christian University, has created a way for people to study education attainment levels for large regions across the nation including Dallas-Fort Worth. The interactive map uses GIS-coded Census data synced with an array of colorful hues.
EDUCATION LEVELS IN NORTH TEXAS: Click the chart for more full-size interactive maps at dmagazine.com.
One dot on the map represents about 25-500 people ages 25 and older depending on how much you zoom in on the map. Each color corresponds to an education level.
Walker, who also serves as director of the TCU Center for Urban Studies, received notice a couple of years ago for his dot map of America’s immigrant populations. Engaging the public about urban issues through university research is the Center for Urban Studies’ main purpose.
With Walker’s latest map visualizing educational achievement, he hopes it brings to light educational disparities so city leaders can allocate resources accordingly.
“I hope city officials make use of it,” Walker told D Magazine. “Based on my conversations with people in the community there is oftentimes a desire to have data that isn’t just tables and numbers, but data you can put up on the screen and interact with and use as examples in policy initiatives or just to spur discussion.”
What trends do education levels make evident in North Texas? D Magazine has a breakdown of Dallas-area maps. Business Insider has a look at what educational levels look like in other major metropolitan areas such as San Francisco and New York City.
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