The Dot Map of America

One of my all-time favorite interactive maps was created by Dustin Cable at the University of Virginia. Unfortunately, the Racial Dot Map of America was removed in 2022. This map used data from the 2010 Census to place a colored dot on a map for every American – all 308,745,538 of them. As the name suggests, the color of each dot was determined by race.The UVA map, based on 2010 Census Maps Mania… more →
Posted in: Interactive Maps

The Nicknames of America

Some U.S. cities have very quirky nicknames. Apparently, the citizens of Auburn, Alabama like to call their town the ‘Armpit of the Confederacy’. While their nearby neighbors in Gordo, Alabama call their home the ‘Armpit of Civilization’. Elmwood and Belleville in Wisconsin both claim to be the ‘UFO Capital of the World’ (presumably because of all the strange, alien-looking folk living in Maps Mania… more →
Posted in: Interactive Maps

China vs America – World Influence Map

The Global Influence Index (GII) shows the influence of the United States and China on 191 countries around the world based on 28 different economic, security, and political criteria. Using the GII’s new 3D globe you can tell at a glance where in the world either the U.S. or China has the greatest influence.Individual countries on the GII globe are colored to show whether they are aligned more Maps Mania… more →
Posted in: Interactive Maps

The Book Banning Map of America

The American Library Association (ALA) reports that attempts to ban books “surged 65% in 2023 compared to 2022 numbers, reaching the highest level ever documented by ALA.” Nearly half of the books targeted for banning were related to issues of LGBTQ+ communities or race.Now the ALA has partnered with Little Free Library and PEN America to release an interactive map which shows Maps Mania… more →
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The Riskiest Places to Live in America

Los Angeles County is a dangerous place to live. According to the National Risk Index the residents of Los Angeles County are more likely to suffer from a natural hazard than anywhere else in the United States. The residents of Los Angeles County are more likely to experience an earthquake than any other US location. They also have one of the highest chances of experiencing a landslide and Maps Mania… more →
Posted in: Interactive Maps

The 100 Most Segregated School Districts in America

In the United States school district boundaries drawn onto economically and racially segregated neighborhoods ensure that most poor and non-white students receive a much worse education than students in the more affluent school districts.Back in 2016 NPR examined how school funding in the USA is used to ensure that the rich get the best schools. They created an interactive map which visualized Maps Mania… more →
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The Chain Restaurants of America

Map of McDonald’s outlets in the USAThe Georgia Institute of Technology’s Friendly Cities Lab has released a new interactive map which reveals which chain restaurants dominate which areas of the United States. The U.S. Chain and Independent Restaurants map shows the locations of over 700,000 restaurants across the country, organized by restaurant chain and by frequency. The map reveals that Maps Mania… more →
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Mapping the Growth of America

This animated map shows the growth of built-up areas in San Francisco from 1860-1930. It visualizes the rapid growth of the city following the California gold rush in the second half of the 19th Century.This animated GIF was made using the interactive map Historical Built-Up Areas, 1810 – 2015. This amazing map uses data from the HISDAC-US: Historical Settlement Data Compilation for the United Maps Mania… more →
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