March 8, 2007 | Read Time: 1 minute
A pair of organizations in Boston have teamed up to create an interactive Web site that allows users to merge statistical information about cities and towns in eastern Massachusetts with mapping software.
The site — the MetroBoston Data Common — is a collaboration between the Metropolitan Area Planning Council and the Boston Foundation.
It allows people to retrieve statistical information about 101 locations and then manipulate that information for their own uses.
The database can be used to compare housing prices in neighboring towns, survey student test scores, or map the locations of cultural institutions. Information can also be broken down to the neighborhood level.
The site’s creators hope the free tool will give public officials and residents in the Greater Boston area a better understanding of patterns and trends affecting their region.
To get there: Go to http://www.metrobostondatacommon.org.
