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
Schools
Hospitals
run_socialmapper(
state="California",
county="Los Angeles County",
place_type="hospital",
travel_time=20
)
Community Resources¶
Parks
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 librariesschool
- Schools (all levels)hospital
- Hospitalsclinic
- Medical clinicspharmacy
- Pharmaciesbank
- Bankspost_office
- Post officespolice
- Police stationsfire_station
- Fire stationscommunity_centre
- Community centers
Shop Tags¶
supermarket
- Grocery storesconvenience
- Convenience storesbakery
- Bakeriesbutcher
- Butcher shops
Leisure Tags¶
park
- Parksplayground
- Playgroundssports_centre
- Sports facilitiesswimming_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¶
- Use singular forms -
library
notlibraries
- Check OpenStreetMap - Visit openstreetmap.org to verify place names
- Try variations - Some places might be tagged differently
- 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¶
- Learn about analyzing travel times
- Add demographic analysis
- Use your own locations