What is geocoding?

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 1
Geosearch:
 Locate an address or point, and have the map 
zoom to that location 
 Result is not permanently stored

Geocoding:
 Convert an address or place to an x,y coordinate
 Result is stored in a GIS file

http://doc.arcgis.com/en/arcgis‐online/reference/geocode.htm

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 2
 Name Name X Y
Burlington Ashland ‐99.77 37.19
Centerville Burlington ‐73.21 44.47
Kingston Centerville ‐111.88 40.93
Newport Dover ‐93.69 39.19
Riverside Fairview ‐85.29 34.93
Kingston ‐76.50 44.23
Madison ‐89.40 43.07
Milford ‐96.95 32.12
Newport ‐71.31 41.49
Oxford ‐73.13 41.43
Riverside ‐117.40 33.95
Springfield ‐122.99 44.05

Event table Reference data

Geocoding process

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 3
 Name Name X Y Name X Y
Burlington Ashland ‐99.77 37.19 Burlington ‐73.21 44.47
Centerville Burlington ‐73.21 44.47 Centerville ‐111.88 40.93
Kingston Centerville ‐111.88 40.93 Kingston ‐76.50 44.23
Newport Dover ‐93.69 39.19 Newport ‐71.31 41.49
Riverside Fairview ‐85.29 34.93 Riverside ‐117.40 33.95
Kingston ‐76.50 44.23
Madison ‐89.40 43.07
Milford ‐96.95 32.12
Newport ‐71.31 41.49
Oxford ‐73.13 41.43
Riverside ‐117.40 33.95
Springfield ‐122.99 44.05

Event table Reference data Mapped features

Geocoding process

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 4
What can be geocoded?
 Place names
 Phone numbers
 Postal/zip codes
 Street addresses

…anything that you can match to a 
reference data set

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 5
Geocoding options
ArcGIS Online
 Already set up and ready to use
 Limited to existing reference data and services

ArcGIS Desktop
 Can use ArcGIS Online geocoding services
 Can create customized geocoding using your own 
data

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 6
 Tells the software 
Style what kind of data to look for
(e.g., addresses, or postal codes)

Reference A complete set of GIS data, 
Data with coordinates

A customized tool, 
Address
designed for a specific type of data, 
Locator based on the style and reference data

Create address locator (ArcMap)

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 7
 Style

Reference
Data

Event Address Mapped

Table Locator Features

Use address locator (ArcMap)

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 8
 Style

Create address locator
(once)
Reference
Data

Event Address Mapped

Table Locator Features

Use address locator
(many times)

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 9
Geocoding place names & x,y data

ArcGIS Online

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 10
Geocoding with ArcGIS Online
 Available for more than 100 countries:
 Addresses
 Postal codes
 Businesses
 Landmarks
 Cities
 You must have an organizational account, with:
 Premium content geocoding privilege
 Available credits 

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 11
ArcGIS Online geocoding service

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 12
Geocoding postal codes

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 13
 M5S 3G3

Forward Sortation Area Local Delivery Unit
postal facility for delivery one type of delivery
(e.g., letter carrier)

Postal code

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 14
Forward Sortation Areas (FSA)

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 15
Local Delivery Units (LDU)

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 16
Forward Sortation Areas (FSA)

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 17
 FSA and LDU

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 18
 LDU Polygons

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 19
Event table: not a GIS data set

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 20
Reference data: this is a GIS data set

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 21
Postal codes Coordinates
(attributes) (geometry)

Reference data

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 22
Event Table Reference Data

Compare, match, map

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 23
Postal codes and census data

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 24
Why are you asked for your postal code?

 Map your location
 Marketing materials (e.g., flyers)
 Learn more about you

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 25
 DA 1

M5S 4K6
DA 2

What if you live here?

Potential error

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 26
Dissemination areas vs. Local delivery units

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 27
 ? LDU ?
DA DA

Dissemination areas vs. Local delivery units

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 28
Census data
 Aggregated
 Ecological fallacy.

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 29
Canadian census units

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 30
Households and roads

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 31
Census forms
Short form:
 Every household in Canada
 Age, sex, marital status, mother tongue, 
relationships between household members
Long form:
 Random sample of 1 in 4 households
 Short form questions
 Plus: daily activities, education, income, home value…

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 32
Long form questions
 Age, sex, marital status, families, mother tongue
 Activities of daily living (e.g., difficulty seeing, walking)
 Sociocultural info (e.g., birthplace, citizenship, aboriginal)

 Mobility (where you lived 5 years ago, 10 years ago)
 Place of birth of parents
 Education (e.g., level, field of study)
 Labour activities (e.g., employment, hours worked per week, 
transportation to work)
 Dwelling (e.g., owned or rented, when built, number of bedrooms, value)

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 33
Households and roads

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 34
“Area equivalent to a city block bounded by intersecting streets. 
These areas cover all of Canada.”

Dissemination blocks (DB)

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 35
 “Small area composed of one or more neighbouring
dissemination blocks, with a population of 400 to 700 persons. 
All of Canada is divided into dissemination areas”

Dissemination areas (DA)

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 36
 Tracts, not tracks

“Census tracts usually have a population between 2,500 and 8,000 
persons. They are located in census metropolitan areas and in census 
agglomerations that have a core population of 50,000 or more”

Census tracts (CT)

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 37
“Area that is a municipality or an area that is deemed to be equivalent 
to a municipality for statistical reporting purposes 
(e.g., as an Indian reserve or an unorganized territory)”

Census subdivisions (CSD)

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 38
“Group of neighbouring municipalities joined together for the 
purposes of regional planning and managing common services 
(such as police or ambulance services)”

Census divisions (CD)

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 39
“Area consisting of one or more neighbouring municipalities 
situated around a core. A CMA must have a total population 
of at least 100,000 of which 50,000 or more live in the core”

Census metropolitan areas (CMA)

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 40
 Household
Dissemination Block
DB

DA Dissemination Area

CT Census Tract

CSD Census Subdivision
Nested 
hierarchy Census Division (CD)

Census boundaries

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 41
Why is the census important?
 “Statistical portrait” of the people of Canada 
 Compare changes over time 
 “Provides all levels of government, industry, media, 
academia and independent organizations with social, 
economic and demographic information that is 
essential for making decisions regarding the many 
services each provides to the public.”

http://www12.statcan.ca/census‐recensement/2006/ref/about‐apropos/faq‐eng.cfm 

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 42
Ecological fallacy

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 43
 50 people

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 44
 Ages
18 20 22 21 19 24 26 27 50 30

18 19 20 21 22 26 33 26 48 33

18 19 20 21 19 28 27 26 56 31

23 22 18 19 20 20 19 23 45 26

22 21 20 18 19 23 22 21 38 23

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 45
 Average age = 25

18 20 22 21 19 24 26 27 50 30

18 19 20 21 22 26 33 26 48 33

18 19 20 21 19 28 27 26 56 31

23 22 18 19 20 20 19 23 45 26

22 21 20 18 19 23 22 21 38 23

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 46
 Average age = 25

25

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 47
 Average age = 25

No!
25 You must be 25 years old

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 48
Modifiable areal unit problem

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 49
 Average age = 25

18 20 22 21 19 24 26 27 50 30

18 19 20 21 22 26 33 26 48 33

18 19 20 21 19 28 27 26 56 31

23 22 18 19 20 20 19 23 45 26

22 21 20 18 19 23 22 21 38 23

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 50
 Average = 20 Average = 30

18 20 22 21 19 24 26 27 50 30

18 19 20 21 22 26 33 26 48 33

18 19 20 21 19 28 27 26 56 31

23 22 18 19 20 20 19 23 45 26

22 21 20 18 19 23 22 21 38 23

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 51
Average = 20 Average = 30

20 30

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 52
Average = 20 Average = 20 Average = 22 Average = 25 Average = 38

18 20 22 21 19 24 26 27 50 30

18 19 20 21 22 26 33 26 48 33

18 19 20 21 19 28 27 26 56 31

23 22 18 19 20 20 19 23 45 26

22 21 20 18 19 23 22 21 38 23

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 53
Average = 20 Average = 20 Average = 22 Average = 25 Average = 38

20 20 22 25 38

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 54
 Zone effect

Modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP)

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 55
 Scale effect

Modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP)

Modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP)

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 56
Zone  Scale 
effect effect

Modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP)

Modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP)

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 57
Geocoding street addresses

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 58
 150 Main Street?

Main Street

Maple Street

Beech Street
Oak Street

Elm Street
Mapping an address

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 59
 150 Main Street?
Address X Y
150 Main St. ‐99.77 37.19
Reference data

Main Street

x,y
Maple Street

Beech Street
Oak Street

Elm Street
Mapping an address : x,y coordinates

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 60
Reference data: x,y points

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 61
 150 Main Street? Reference data
From  To  From  To 
Name X Y X Y X Y X Y
Left Left Right Right
Main St. 101 ‐85.7 37.1 199 ‐87.4 37.19 102 ‐85.7 35.2 198 ‐87.4 35.2

1 99 101 199 201 299

Main Street
2 98 100 198 200 298
Interpolated
Maple Street

Beech Street
Oak Street

Elm Street
Mapping an address: interpolation

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 62
Reference data: address ranges

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 63
 4 Dundas St. E.
Street number Street name Street type Street direction

Standardize each event address

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 64
Event table Reference data

Compare, match, map

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 65
 150 Main Street?

1 99 101 199 201 299

Main Street

2 98 100 198 200 298

Maple Street

Beech Street
Oak Street

Elm Street
Addresses are not regularly spaced

© Donald Boyes, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto 66