SparkMap synthesizes data from three primary sources:

Opportunity Atlas From Harvard/Census Bureau, provides income mobility and incarceration rate estimates at the census-tract level.
opportunityinsights.org

Child Opportunity Index 3.0 From diversitydatakids.org, a composite index measuring neighborhood opportunity across education, health/environment, and social/economic domains.
diversitydatakids.org

Census & ACS Tract boundaries from U.S. Census Bureau 2020 TIGER/Line shapefiles.

trending_upIncome Mobility - Mean household income rank (percentile 0%–100%) for children who grew up in each tract. Source: Opportunity Atlas (kfr_pooled_pooled_mean).

track_changesOpportunity Index - Overall Child Opportunity Index z-score (z_COI_nat), combining 30+ indicators into a national-normed score. Ranges from -3.0 to +3.0.

schoolEducation - COI education domain z-score (z_ED_nat). Includes early childhood education, reading/math proficiency, HS graduation rates. Ranges from -3.0 to +3.0.

health_and_safetyHealth/Environment - COI health & environment domain z-score (z_HE_nat). Includes health insurance, toxic exposure, air quality, food access. Ranges from -3.0 to +3.0.

groupsSocial/Economic - COI social & economic domain z-score (z_SE_nat). Includes poverty rate, employment, median household income. Ranges from -3.0 to +3.0.

gavelIncarceration - Mean incarceration rate for children who grew up in each tract. Source: Opportunity Atlas (jail_pooled_pooled_mean). Ranges from 0% to 100%.

Purple tracts are designated Special Locations - areas like airports, correctional facilities, or institutional campuses that lack meaningful residential census data.

1. Use the top lens tabs to identify the most under-resourced tracts.
2. Group tracts into a Custom Zone to generate neighborhood-level summary data.
3. Export filtered tracts as CSV for grant applications and policy briefs.
4. Switch to 3D mode to visualize disparities in infrastructure and opportunity.