Easy Tutorials

Click on any of the easy-to-follow tutorials below to learn the basics of using IMAGE: NYC.

About the Data

Neighborhood Tabulation Areas

Population characteristics are mapped at the neighborhood level using the NYC Dept of City Planning “neighborhood tabulation areas” (NTAs). As of 2023, the IMAGE: NYC map uses NTAs that align with 2020 Census tracts. NTAs provide the following benefits for visualizing this data:

  • NTAs are easily recognizable in that they generally correspond to historical neighborhood areas in New York (although NTA names are not definitive, and the city does not maintain official neighborhood boundaries);
  • they represent aggregations of census tracts, so any data available at the tract level can be added up and mapped by NTA;

However, remember this important caveat when viewing the color-shaded NTA maps:
In an effort to standardize data visualizations, maps in IMAGE: NYC typically use 7 intervals with a light-to-dark color pattern. Generally, the distinctions between adjacent intervals (such as 10-20% compared with 20-40%) represent statistically valid differences. In some instances, however, where a map is based on data from a sample (in the Demographics and Socio-economics sections), you should exercise caution at making fine distinctions using data from adjacent intervals. Instead, you should focus on the general spatial distribution of the demographic or socio-economic variables, and emphasize the categories at opposite ends of the distribution (such as 10-20% compared with 80-100%).

Additional information:

  • IMAGE: NYC uses data from existing sources; no primary data collection was done.
  • For population information, the map is limited to data that have been aggregated and cross-tabulated by the Census Bureau. For example, the map is not able to portray patterns for characteristics such as undocumented immigrants, gender categories other than the categories used in the census (male/female), and sexual orientation at the neighborhood level.
  • Some data are not collected by age. Other data are collected by age, but the sample size at the neighborhood level is too small to be valid.
  • IMAGE: NYC is limited to those datasets that were available at the neighborhood level, reliable, and shared by partner organizations.
  • If you are interested in contributing data, please contact us at imagenycmap@nyam.org .

Technical Details

IMAGE: NYC utilizes the following online tools and technologies:

  • Postgres/Postgis, an open source geospatial database which is used to store all of the data used for IMAGE: NYC;
  • Mapbox, an online mapping service with a JavaScript library (MapboxGL) that is used to power IMAGE: NYC’s map interactivity.  Mapbox also provides the basemap for IMAGE: NYC based on Open Street Map data.  Nonprofit access to Mapbox data and services is generously provided through the company’s Community program;
  • Maputnik, an open source map styling software application to customize the display of service locations shown on IMAGE: NYC;
  • several JavaScript libraries and APIs managed through NodeJS such as VueJS and the Custom API based on Dirt-Simple PostGIS HTTP API by Tobin Bradley; and
  • icons from Icons8, which allow us to visually showcase locations of certain Services & Resources on IMAGE: NYC.