UK Economic Development and Real Estate launches Kentucky Economic Opportunity Map
LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky’s Economic Development and Real Estate team has launched the Kentucky Economic Opportunity Map, a dynamic data visualization tool designed to help communities, organizations and economic development leaders better understand economic conditions and opportunities across the Commonwealth.
The Kentucky Economic Opportunity Map uses publicly available Census and other public data to highlight economic stability indicators across all Kentucky counties. The tool brings together over 250 data sets related to education, income, workforce, occupations, demographics, homeownership, business ownership and access to health care, allowing users to explore economic conditions through an interactive geographic lens.
The project was funded by the University of Kentucky Sustainability Challenge Grant Committee. Using the funding, Phillip Ashford, then a graduate student in UK’s Department of Geography, developed the original version of the Kentucky Economic Opportunity Map. His work was guided by Dr. Matthew Wilson, professor in UK’s Graduate Certificate and Master of Science in Digital Mapping programs. Ashford has since graduated.
Building on that foundation, the second phase of the map was developed using Ashford’s work and guided by Gretchen Tucker, technical administrator for the University of Kentucky Geographic Information System (GIS). Tucker directed two GIS team members, Kevin Dohner and Tahsen Hossain, who contributed to the next phase of the Kentucky Economic Opportunity Map project. The UK GIS team finalized the map, making upgrades and developing user tutorials.
The current version of the map includes coverage of all counties in the Commonwealth, all Metropolitan Statistical Areas that include Kentucky counties, and all census tracts and ZIP codes in Fayette County. Users can compare two key economic and demographic variables at a time, providing a visual way to examine relationships and differences across geographic areas.
“The Kentucky Economic Opportunity Map brings together a range of data points that can help us understand the strengths, needs and opportunities present in communities across Kentucky,” said Marilyn Clark, economic engagement manager with UK Economic Development and Real Estate. “By looking at indicators such as educational attainment, income, workforce participation, business ownership and health care access together, we can develop a more complete picture of the factors that shape small business growth and economic stability in a community.”
Guided by UK Economic Development and Real Estate, the project is intended to support informed decision-making and strategic investment in Kentucky communities. By making complex data more accessible and visual, the map provides a resource for exploring economic opportunities and identifying potential areas for further investment, collaboration, and innovation.
“Having accessible, place-based data is an important part of understanding where Kentucky communities are today and where they have opportunities to grow,” said Melody Flowers, assistant vice president for UK Economic Development and Real Estate. “Tools like the Kentucky Economic Opportunity Map can help leaders and organizations identify strengths, recognize areas of opportunity and make more informed decisions about investments that can contribute to economic development across the Commonwealth.”
In addition to providing a resource for exploring county-level economic indicators, UK Economic Development and Real Estate is seeking partners interested in using the Kentucky Economic Opportunity Map to develop data narratives that tell the story of communities across Kentucky.
Through these partnerships, organizations can use the tool to explore specific economic trends, identify community strengths and opportunities, and develop data-informed narratives that help communicate local economic conditions.
Limited funding is available to support select data narrative projects.
Students and faculty interested in partnering with UK Economic Development and Real Estate to develop a data narrative using the Kentucky Economic Opportunity Map should contact Marilyn Clark at marilyn.clark@uky.edu
The Kentucky Economic Opportunity Map is available online here