NY Displacement Map Documentation
This map was created using ArcGIS, Photoshop, and US Census data
← Back to map
2. Sources of data
Download the following files, in shapefile format, from these websites:
- From https://data.gis.ny.gov, download New York State county boundaries and New York State streets.
- From https://opendata.cityofnewyork.us, download NYC borough boundaries, NYC streets, NYC hurricane evacuation zones, and NYC projected floodplains.
- From https://www.geofabrik.de/data/shapefiles.html, download New Jersey and New York state roads and state boundaries.
- From https://www.census.gov/geographies/mapping-files/time-series/geo/tiger-data.html, download data for per capita income and average cost of housing.
3. Import shapefiles into QGIS
- Open QGIS and import shapefiles
- Adjust map projection for preferred perspective
- Export individual layers with minimal styling and stark contrasting colors. Export outlines with no fill as separate layers. Export layers with the exact same scale and placement on page, use .png file extension and set a transparent backgrounds.
4. Import individual layers to Photoshop
Open Photoshop and load the .png images as individual layers. Begin with counties layer with outline and no fill:
Add the flooding and hurricane evacuation zone layers:
Add the housing and income layers:
Compile all layers. Adjust the opacity and coloring of each layer to identiy areas of most significant overlap:
Circle those areas as displacement zones:
Add other labels to map:
Add the grid and scale information:
Overlay grid and mapkey:
5. Finalize map
Adjust spacing, sizing, and opacity for each layer. Combine everything so it is easily ledgible at respective distances. Emphasize critical information about displacement zones:
