What this tool is for
This explorer helps you compare NYC administrative areas such as boroughs, police precincts, community districts, and modified ZIP code areas. It is designed for policy review, quick comparisons, and briefing support.
What you can do here
- Compare two areas side by side
- Switch between monthly and yearly views
- See which complaint types lead in each area
- Review agency and status patterns
- Export a quick summary for reporting or discussion
How to read the map
Area A is shown in teal and Area B in orange. The filled polygon, dashed ring, and floating lens card all refer to the same selected area.
The right-hand panel shows the same selection in more detail.
Important: the map is a navigation aid, but the counts and summaries come from the processed area-level data behind the app.
Basic workflow
- Select a Boundary type, such as Borough or Police precinct.
- Select a Time scale, Monthly or Yearly.
- Choose the From and To periods.
- Select Area A and optionally Area B from the dropdowns, or click the polygons directly on the map.
- Read the floating lens cards for a quick map-side summary.
- Use the right panel for trends, complaint mix, agency mix, status mix, and comparison details.
Helpful controls
- Reset view returns the map to the city-wide framing.
- Clear area selections removes both selected areas and resets the panel.
- Export PNG saves the current map view as an image.
- Export CSV downloads the current Area A and Area B summary.
- Copy briefing note creates a plain-English comparison sentence.
Tip: for the clearest comparison, choose the same boundary type and one time window before selecting Area A and Area B.
Core counts
- Records
- The total number of 311 requests in the selected area and selected period.
- Share of city
- The selected area’s records divided by the city total for the same time window.
- Complaint families
- Broader groupings of detailed complaint types, such as Noise, Housing, Streets & Traffic, and Other.
- Leading complaint types
- The top detailed complaint categories for the selected area and period.
Trend indicators
- Peak
- The highest monthly or yearly value within the selected trend window.
- Latest
- The most recent monthly or yearly value inside the selected period range.
- Change
- A quick directional comparison between the first half and second half of the selected trend window. It is a signal, not a causal explanation.
- Policy signal
- A short interpretation that highlights which issue or pattern stands out most in the selected area.
Operational indicators
- Main responding agency
- The city agency attached to the largest share of requests in the selected area and period.
- Status mix
- The distribution of request status values, such as Closed, Open, or In Progress.
- Why this matters
- A short plain-English interpretation of what the selected area suggests for policy review or briefing.
Coverage
This version is built from the official NYC Open Data dataset 311 Service Requests from 2020 to Present.
What is included
- Administrative area summaries for boroughs, police precincts, community districts, and MODZCTA areas
- Monthly and yearly summaries
- Complaint type, agency, and status breakdowns
How to interpret carefully
- Higher complaint volume does not automatically mean worse conditions.
- Counts can reflect reporting behavior as well as underlying conditions.
- This tool supports comparison and prioritization, not causal explanation.
Good uses: compare two areas, inspect how complaint mix changes over time, identify which agencies and statuses dominate, and prepare short briefing notes for meetings or reports.
Questions or feedback?
Zobaer Ahmed, PhD
zunnun09@gmail.com
Replace the placeholder email before publishing the public version.