What’s New in ArcGIS Business Analyst Data Viewer (June 2024)

Data Browser is a powerful interface in ArcGIS Business Analyst Web App and ArcGIS Community Analyst that allows you to search for and add demographic variables to maps, analyses, infographics, and reports. With thousands of variables to explore, Data Browser can help you find the data that is relevant to your project.

When combined with ArcGIS GeoEnrichment Service, you can add data to geographic boundaries of your choice, such as counties and census tracts (standard geographies) or counties and drive-time areas (custom geographies). This starts any spatial analysis by connecting the data you need and the places you’re interested in.

In ArcGIS Business Analyst Web App, the data browser plays an important role when creating color-coded maps, performing intelligent map searches, performing usability analysis, creating infographics, and other workflows.

What new capabilities have been added to the Business Analyst Data Viewer?

In the June 2024 release, the data browser has been completely redesigned! The updated design puts user needs first, simplifying the browsing experience and providing more control and clarity. While the interface has a new look and feel, special attention has been paid to preserving the familiar hallmarks of the Business Analyst data browser, such as category tabs, sorting mechanisms, and all of the previous capabilities.

Below we present the most important features of the new interface.

Improved navigation

While many Business Analyst Web App users work with and use the “cards” category on the data browser home page, the June update combines the cards experience with a cleaner navigation option. Now you have easy access to all categories, at all times:

This means you no longer have to backtrack from deep searches to browse other categories—your navigation is always with you. And for tab lovers, the familiar data browser homepage has retained this simple organizational principle, but now you can swap between tab and list views of the homepage.

More variable options

In this release, the data browser content has been refreshed with new variables from many data sets. Interestingly, we also debut a quick search filter called New and noteworthyhighlighting all data added in the latest version.

Previously, you could only see new variables in individual categories. Now you can see everything new, all at once!

You can also see the total number of variables in a given category directly on the tabs on the home page:

Improved data search capabilities

One of the things that makes the data browser a truly “browsing” experience is the way it shows the organization of Esri data, allowing you to discover new variables and understand the datasets from which they come. It may not be immediately obvious to the casual user that in a category like, say, Household there are data sets that group variables by topic. The redesigned data browser helps you explore your data by displaying data sets of each category in a row of buttons along the top of the window:

In addition to the data collection as a sorting mechanism, there is a whole new row of drop-down filters that provide more granularity for viewing. You can use Key word the ability to search by a specific term within a category and then use Year ability to select only one year of data to display.

What new data has been added to the Business Analyst data viewer?

The June 2024 data release introduces a number of new variables to both U.S. and global demographic data sets, offering valuable insights into consumer spending, income distribution, and other areas of interest. As an added bonus, the latest data is now easily accessible in the data viewer via New and noteworthy category. You can also browse data by data set using Browse drop-down menu. Some of the most important elements include:

Updated Esri Demographics

Updates to demographic data for 2024 and projections for 2029, aggregated to Esri geographic boundaries for 2024. There are 89 new variables, including time series variables for households, housing units, and population; contract rent variables; income and income inequality variables; and labor force variables by race.

American Community Survey

Demographic data updates covering 2018-2022, aggregated to Esri 2024 geographic boundaries. There are 4 new variables in the Year of Homeowner Move group.

Census 2020, Census 2010 and Census 2000

Demographic data from previous census years that have been standardized and aggregated into Esri’s 2024 geographic boundaries, allowing you to work across censuses from different years using the latest boundaries.

Esri Tapestry Segmentation

The tapestry data have been updated using the 2024 adult and household baseline variables.

Esri Consumer Spending

Spending data updates based on the latest 2021-2023 Bureau of Labor Statistics Expenditure Surveys, aggregated to Esri’s 2024 geographic boundaries. There are 20 new variables, including estimates for dining out and education for 2024 and 2029.

Esri Market Potential

Updates to consumer demand and preference data based on the 2023 MRI-Simmons Survey of the American Consumer. There are 69 new variables, including consumer demand and psychographic estimates for cars and other vehicles, electronics, groceries, health, audio media, television viewing, pets, phones, shopping, and sports.

Esri Retail Demand by Industry

Spending data updates by industry based on consumer spending surveys conducted in 2021 and 2022, aggregated by Esri 2024 geographic boundaries.

Esri Business Summary

Business, sales, and employee data updates based on February 2024 Data Axle business location data and 2022 NAICS classification system, aggregated to 2024 Esri geographic boundaries. Please note that NAICS classifications have been updated from the 2017 NAICS system.

USA Geographic Boundaries 2024

Geographic boundary updates based on TIGER 2023, Office of Management and Budget (for CBSA), The Nielsen Company (for DMA), and TomTom (for ZIP codes). New and revised boundaries include Connecticut code structures and CBSA designations.

Additional resources

We hope you find these new demographic variables and data browser improvements useful. For more information about the June 2024 releases of Esri Demographics and ArcGIS Business Analyst Web App, check out these resources: