Baseline · Free
Census ACS 5-Year Estimates
Population, age, race, income, housing, language, work
County / tract / block group · Essential
Data architecture
Five layers, kept separate on purpose
Separating the data into layers makes the system easier to explain, maintain, license, and expand. It also keeps a modeled estimate from ever being mistaken for a counted fact.
01
Authoritative baseline
The factual floor every other layer is measured against.
Census, state agencies, NCES, BLS, BEA, HUD, CDC and other official public sources.
02
Specialized ministry data
Connects the mission field to actual church presence and capacity.
MissionInsite, ACP, NAMB Send Network, denominational church inventories.
03
Psychographics & lifestyle
Life stage, values, and household behavior — modeled, never certain.
Esri Tapestry, Claritas PRIZM, Experian Mosaic, American Communities Project.
04
Local planning intelligence
Where growth is approved and funded before it appears in any survey.
County GIS and planning portals, GDOT and MPO plans, DCA comprehensive plans.
05
User-supplied reports
Local insight the national datasets will never carry.
Uploaded studies, church surveys, association records, local knowledge.
Source inventory
What each source provides, the smallest geography it reaches, and what it costs.
Baseline · Free
Census TIGER/Line
Geographic boundaries
All levels · Mapping backbone
Georgia demographics · Free
GA OPB Population Projections / GDAC
Official Georgia projections by age, sex, race
County / state · Essential in Georgia
Georgia demographics · Free
GeorgiaDATA.org / UGA resources
Multi-domain Georgia county data
County / region · High-value aggregator
Migration & growth · Free
IRS SOI County-to-County Migration
Where newcomers come from and residents go
County · Highest priority addition
Economy · Free
BLS QCEW & LAUS
Employment, wages, unemployment
County / metro · Essential
Economy · Free
BEA GDP & Personal Income
GDP, income, transfers, economic structure
County / metro · High-value
Education · Free
NCES / GaDOE / GOSA
Enrollment, ESOL, mobility, outcomes
District / school · Leading indicator
Health · Free
CDC PLACES & GA DPH OASIS
Small-area health and population indicators
Tract / county · High-value
Need · Free
Feeding America Map the Meal Gap
Food insecurity
County / local varies · High-value
Need · Free
CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index
Concentrated vulnerability
Tract / county · High-value
Housing & growth · Free
Census Building Permits Survey
New residential construction
County / place · Leading indicator
Faith · Free
US Religion Census / ARDA
Congregations and adherents by tradition
County · Core faith layer
Ministry · SBC access
Annual Church Profile (ACP)
Church membership, attendance, baptisms, giving
Church · Strategic
Ministry · SBC access
NAMB Send Network
Church planting context and research
Flexible · Strategic
Psychographics · Paid
Esri Tapestry / Claritas PRIZM / Experian Mosaic
Lifestyle and consumer segmentation
ZIP / small area · Optional
Narrative context · Free
American Communities Project
County community typologies
County · Useful framing
Local development · Free
County GIS & planning portals
Zoning, parcels, approved developments, infrastructure
Parcel / local · Leading indicator
Transportation · Free
GDOT + MPO plans
Traffic, projects, corridors, long-range plans
Corridor / region · Leading indicator
Engineering discipline
Geographic key
Use Census FIPS codes as the primary county/state join key. Maintain crosswalks for ZIP/ZCTA, tract, block group, school district, place and custom study areas.
Time
Store source year and vintage separately from publication date. Never mix different years without labeling.
Provenance
Every displayed number carries its source, vintage, and geography level so a leader can defend it in a room.
Refresh
Track release calendars per source and flag any indicator that has gone stale against its expected cadence.