
Scan/US Microgrids(™) are square grids on the map, ranging from 1/16 square mile to 1 square mile.
Each Scan/US Microgrid(™) is a data container, holding population characteristics or other demographic data for that small area.
There are three sizes of Scan/US Microgrid(™), determined by household density in an area.
Overall, approximately 2.5 million grids cover ONLY the populated areas of the United States. Demographic data is provided for each grid.Scan/US Microgrids(™) make it possible for the software to calculate instant data summaries for rings, polygons, and drivetime contours.
Note: although 2010 was used as the analysis year for this study of Scan/US Microgrids(™), Scan/US Microgrids(™) are updated annually, to reflect local changes in population.
We should also note that, although this study shows how Scan/US Microgrids(™) are better than Census Blockgroups for doing demographic analysis, all Scan/US Subscriptions do include Census Blockgroups with demographic data (and Census blocks and data are available as well), so if you have a Scan/US Subscription, you can do the comparison yourself, in any study area where you require it.
This three-part description shows how Scan/US Microgrids(™) are better.
1. The Study Area
Our 'study area' is a four block-group area in Santa Clarita, CA. This area illustrates how Scan/US shows change with its proprietary Scan/US Microgrid(™) geography.
As of 2000, US Census records 12 households in these four block groups. The Scan/US 2010 mid-year estimates show 2,835 households in residence, 90% of them new since 2005.
Four Census block-groups showing streets based on TIGER 2009 streets
Using Zip+4 segment points, Scan/US tracks the placement of residential change more accurately than Census block groups or Census blocks.
Zip+4 segments are the basic units of the postal delivery system. Scan/US Scan/US Microgrid(™) cartography, summarizing data from Zip+4 segments, brings residential change into focus at the resolution of 1/16th of a square mile.
The study area contains 4 block groups, 12 blocks, 25 Scan/US Microgrids(™) and 274 Zip+4 segments. Residential saturation data (“drop counts”) for Zip+4s provide the data points for distributing block group estimates of household counts. How is this done?
First the drop counts of the blocks within a block group are normalized and used as weights to distribute the block group’s updated demographics to the blocks. The resulting detailed demographics for the blocks are then rebalanced to conform to the parent block group’s demographic profile. The distribution of the balanced block updates to the Scan/US Microgrids(™) is accomplished by using the current Zip+4 drop counts to calculate the proportion of block demographics that are to be assigned to the overlapping grids.
The Scan/US Microgrid(™) highlighted on the map derives all of its characteristics from one block but the Scan/US Microgrid(™) overlay of the study area shows that, in many cases, multiple blocks and block groups contribute to a particular grid’s demographic profile.
The Zip+4 drop counts indicate where, how much and what type of development exists right down to a specific address range on a street.
The table below shows the four separate counts that are available for each Zip+4: single family (Napt), multi-family (Apt), business (Bus) and seasonal (Seas). These drop counts tell us that this Scan/US Microgrid(™) neighborhood is made up of exclusively single family dwellings.The satellite photo below shows the 16 Zip+4s overlaid by the grid. (The image was created using Scan/US “Locate in Google Earth,” a standard feature of the Scan/US software).
ZIP+4 code | TotRes | Napt | Apt | Bus | Seas |
91354-1848 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
91354-1850 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
91354-1854 | 18 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
91354-1856 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
91354-1857 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
91354-1860 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
91354=1861 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
91354-1868 | 18 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
91354-1872 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
91354-1876 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
91354-1878 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
91354-1879 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
91354-1887 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
91354-4930 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
91354-4931 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
91354-4935 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Grid totals | 170 | 170 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
These numbers make this micro-neighborhood one that retailers would be glad to know is in their trade area. The neighborhood size of the Scan/US Microgrid(™) and the demographic information it contains make it the ideal unit of geography for supporting small area location based decisions.
Scan/US updates the Scan/US Microgrid(™) geography annually, adding new grids where Zip+4s have appeared for the first time. 196,117 grids were added this year to the 2010 Scan/US Microgrid(™) cartography for a total of 2,552,006 Scan/US Microgrids(™) covering the United States.
The Scan/US QuickLook for this Scan/US Microgrid(™) displays about eighteen 2010 demographic variables selected from approximately 1000 values that are estimated and projected for every object on each geographic layer.This grid is roughly 1/16th of a square mile in size and is estimated to contain 99 households with an average size of 3.10 persons; median household income is $57,790, and an annual aggregate household income of $6,440,000.
© 2010 Scan/US, Inc. All rights reserved. No material in this document may be reproduced, in any form, without the express written consent of Scan/US, Inc. Contact us at (310) 828-1450. FAX (310) 453-6401. Or write to: Scan/US, Inc., 120 Stagecoach Road,
Bell Canyon, CA 91307. On the web, we can be found at www.scanus.com.
Scan/US and the Scan/US logo are registered trademarks of
Scan/US, Inc. Scan/US Microgrid(™) is a trademark of Scan/US, Inc.
Other company or product names used herein are for
identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their
respective companies. Any use of other company or product
names are for identification purposes only and does not
constitute an endorsement of the company or product by
Scan/US, Inc. Scan/US, Inc. is not responsible for any
problems and/or losses resulting from the use of any
product(s) mentioned in this document.
© 1992-2022 - Scan/US, Inc.