Using the U.S. Census Bureau’s Online "American Factfinder" Site to Visualize and Analyze Site Location Issues in a Retail Environment: An Assessment and Application

This paper illustrates how the U. S. Census Bureau’s “American FactFinder” web site can be
used to visualize and analyze census data for decision-making in a small business environment.

The site allows users to make informed decisions based on the diverse demographic and
economic information presented in two formats: tables and maps. By visualizing and analyzing
spatial locations it is possible to determine market areas that are underserved and determine areas
that have demographics that a small business prefers. As an illustration of its application, the
“American FactFinder” database was used to help identify a new site for a gourmet restaurant.

Ronald S. Rubin, University of Central Florida
College of Business Administration
4000 Central Florida Blvd.
Orlando, Florida 32816-1400
407-823-2682
[email protected]

Full Paper: http://sbaer.uca.edu/research/usasbe/2007/data/papers/cases/091.pdf