Data

Aerial of RiverHouse development with multiple high-rise towers in Arlington, Virginia.

How one Arlington YIMBY used 'homebrew econometrics' to lobby for density

An upzoning proposal for Pentagon City could bring in an additional $8 million to $11 million in tax revenue.

April 27, 2026 - Greater Greater Washington

Plaza in Portland, Maine with statue of globe with compass rose.

New Maine Database Will Track Housing Growth

A new state law requires municipalities to submit records comparing housing permits and completed units for each year since 2010.

January 5, 2026 - Bangor Daily News

New York City crosswalk with a few pedestrians and yellow cab and black SUV stopped at light.

NYC’s ‘Rare and Comprehensive’ Public Data Reveals Congestion Pricing's Success

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s analytics and data team maintains over 180 regularly updated datasets about the city’s transportation system.

September 5, 2025 - Wired

Aerial view of dense urban center with lines indicating smart city concept.

Why a Failed ‘Smart City’ Is Still Relevant

A Google-backed proposal to turn an underused section of Toronto waterfront into a tech hub holds relevant lessons about privacy and data.

May 23, 2025 - Governing

Person in yellow safety suit and white helmet kneels to examine water samples outdoors on a lake shore.

USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure

If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.

May 1, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Computer screen with map, numbers, and lines.

How Data-Driven Research Is Shaping Sustainable Urban Development

Explore how data-driven research is revolutionizing sustainable urban development, creating smarter, greener, and more resilient cities for the future.

April 17, 2025 - Devin Partida

White and blue hybrid electric public transit bus in San Jose, California.

Beyond Congestion Pricing: Strategies for Revolutionizing Urban Mobility

How cities are leveraging data and technology to improve their transportation networks and reduce traffic.

March 24, 2025 - Timothy Menard

Collage of 5 GIS maps from the ESRI American Community Survey (ACS) Atlas Collection.

Explore US Demographics With the New ACS Atlas Collection

Esri's new ACS Atlas Collection offers interactive applications that visualize the latest U.S. demographic and socio-economic data, enabling users to explore over 175 curated web maps across various thematic areas.

February 27, 2025 - ArcGIS Blog

Front entrance of U.S. Department of Transportation office in Washington D.C.

Preserving Essential Information in an Uncertain World

The new U.S. federal administration may eliminate useful information sources. Planners should download and preserve key documents and datasets.

January 24, 2025 - Todd Litman

Digital drawing of person holding city skyline with wifi symbols and lines indicating smart cities or data.

Cities Awarded for Data-Driven Projects

The What Cities Works Certification recognizes cities for using data to solve real problems.

June 21, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

close-up of person using ChatGPT app on mobile phone.

Report: ChatGPT Shows Limited Knowledge in Sparsely Populated Areas

Recent research showed bias when using the tool to assess environmental justice issues in various parts of the country.

December 19, 2023 - Cointelegraph

Aerial gondola car in the air overlooking the city of Medellin, Colombia.

Harnessing Data for Community Development

Using data and insights encourages the development of a community, offering an evidence-based strategy to directly address the needs within.

September 20, 2023 - Devin Partida

GIS map of Yosemite National Park

The Growing Importance of Location Intelligence

Location intelligence is transforming decision-making, with an increasing number and type of organizations modernizing operations with a geographic approach to problem-solving, planning, and prediction.

April 24, 2023 - ESRI, Inc.

Sidewalk

Mapping Sidewalks for Improved Connectivity

A new tool uses aerial image recognition to map a city’s sidewalks and crosswalks. Its developers hope it will aid in creating a more comprehensive understanding of pedestrian networks and where improvements are needed.

March 22, 2023 - MIT News

Close-up of two people pointing at a printed city map with pencils with a laptop in the background

Cities Need Data to Secure and Maximize Federal Funding

To secure and maintain federal funding for projects and programs, local governments need data to identify priorities, support grant applications, and monitor and track progress.

January 17, 2023 - Cities Today

Playground

How Big Data Informs Park Planning

Data analysis and research by national organizations are helping to ensure equitable distribution and provision of parks and recreational facilities.

December 12, 2022 - On Common Ground

Beautiful Pink Flowers along the East River at Hunters Point South Park during Spring in Long Island City Queens

The Built Environment in 2022: Challenges and Opportunities

As climate change, the pandemic, and a historic housing crisis continue to impact the nation, experts weigh in on the issues that could shape the future of the built environment in 2022.

January 13, 2022 - Brookings

Internet Cables

Broadband as Critical Transportation Infrastructure

The future of mobility depends on having a comprehensive, nationwide broadband network capable of supporting new transportation technologies and regulatory needs.

January 5, 2022 - Forbes

Uber App

Gig Workers Demand Data Transparency

Access to data for gig workers can provide a valuable source of information and bargaining power in a traditionally opaque and risky industry.

December 23, 2021 - Wired

U.S. Census Bureau

Debunking the Myth of the Declining White Population

Media claimed that Census data showed a sharp decline in America's white population, but the widely publicized figure reflects a misunderstanding of new data collection techniques.

November 17, 2021 - The Atlantic

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Transportation Planner I

KFH Group Inc.

Director, Strategy and Research

Greater Baltimore Committee

Senior Planner

Eagle County Government

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.