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Finding Places

SocialMapper can find various types of community resources using OpenStreetMap data. This guide shows you how to search for different places.

Common Place Types

Essential Services

Libraries 

run_socialmapper(
    state="Illinois",
    county="Cook County",
    place_type="library",
    travel_time=15
)

Schools 

run_socialmapper(
    state="Texas",
    county="Harris County",
    place_type="school",
    travel_time=10
)

Hospitals 

run_socialmapper(
    state="California",
    county="Los Angeles County",
    place_type="hospital",
    travel_time=20
)

Community Resources

Parks 

run_socialmapper(
    state="Colorado",
    county="Denver County",
    place_type="park",
    travel_time=15
)

Grocery Stores 

run_socialmapper(
    state="Ohio",
    county="Franklin County",
    place_type="supermarket",
    travel_time=10
)

Community Centers 

run_socialmapper(
    state="Washington",
    county="King County",
    place_type="community_centre",
    travel_time=15
)

OpenStreetMap Tags

SocialMapper uses OpenStreetMap tags to find places. Common tags include:

Amenity Tags

  • library - Public libraries
  • school - Schools (all levels)
  • hospital - Hospitals
  • clinic - Medical clinics
  • pharmacy - Pharmacies
  • bank - Banks
  • post_office - Post offices
  • police - Police stations
  • fire_station - Fire stations
  • community_centre - Community centers

Shop Tags

  • supermarket - Grocery stores
  • convenience - Convenience stores
  • bakery - Bakeries
  • butcher - Butcher shops

Leisure Tags

  • park - Parks
  • playground - Playgrounds
  • sports_centre - Sports facilities
  • swimming_pool - Public pools

Advanced Searches

Using POI Type and Name

For more specific searches, combine type and name:

# Find all Whole Foods locations
run_socialmapper(
    state="California",
    county="Orange County",
    poi_type="shop",
    poi_name="supermarket",
    travel_time=15
)

Multiple Counties

Analyze multiple counties at once:

# Analyze libraries across a metro area
for county in ["Cook County", "DuPage County", "Lake County"]:
    results = run_socialmapper(
        state="Illinois",
        county=county,
        place_type="library",
        travel_time=15
    )

Tips for Finding Places

  1. Use singular forms - library not libraries
  2. Check OpenStreetMap - Visit openstreetmap.org to verify place names
  3. Try variations - Some places might be tagged differently
  4. Be specific - Use exact county names with "County" suffix

Command Line Examples

Find libraries: 

socialmapper analyze --state "New York" --county "New York County" \
  --place-type "library" --travel-time 15

Find hospitals with custom output: 

socialmapper analyze --state "Florida" --county "Miami-Dade County" \
  --place-type "hospital" --travel-time 20 --export-csv --export-maps

Troubleshooting

No places found? - Verify the county name is correct - Check if the place type exists in that area - Try a broader search area - Ensure internet connection is active

Too many results? - Use poi_name to filter further - Reduce the geographic area - Export to CSV and filter in Excel

Next Steps