arealdata
Areal data are data that describe phenomena for defined geographic areas such as countries, states, counties, or census tracts, rather than at precise point locations. Examples include counts, rates, means, or proportions calculated for each area, such as a county's population density, the rate of a health outcome by district, or average income by municipality. Because the unit of analysis is an area, analyses rely on the boundaries and the level of aggregation used to partition space.
Characteristics and problems: Areal data are susceptible to the Modifiable Areal Unit Problem (MAUP), where statistical
Methods and modeling: Analysts aggregate data to chosen units or reallocate data across units via areal interpolation
Applications and data sources: Areal data are widely used in public health, economics, urban planning, and environmental
- Modifiable areal unit problem