Skip to content

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