NeighborFit

Data Sources & Integration

Comprehensive neighborhood data from trusted sources, processed with zero-budget constraints

Data Architecture Overview

Our data pipeline integrates multiple free and public data sources to create comprehensive neighborhood profiles

500+

Neighborhoods Analyzed

Data Sources Integrated

50+

Metrics Per Neighborhood

Demographics & Census Data

US Census Bureau

• Population demographics by age, income, education
• Household composition and family statistics
• Employment and commuting patterns
• Housing characteristics and costs

Update Frequency: Annual (ACS 5-year estimates)
Coverage: All US census tracts
Cost: Free via Census API

Walkability & Transportation

Walk Score API

• Walk Score (0-100) for pedestrian friendliness
• Transit Score for public transportation access
• Bike Score for cycling infrastructure
• Nearby amenities and services mapping

Update Frequency: Real-time
Coverage: Major US cities
Cost: Free tier (1,000 calls/day)

Safety & Crime Statistics

Local Police Departments

• Crime incident reports by category
• Historical crime trends and patterns
• Emergency response times
• Community policing initiatives

Update Frequency: Monthly
Coverage: 25+ major cities
Cost: Free via open data portals

Amenities & Points of Interest

Google Places API

• Restaurants, cafes, and dining options
• Shopping centers and retail locations
• Healthcare facilities and pharmacies
• Entertainment and recreational venues

Update Frequency: Real-time
Coverage: Global
Cost: Free tier ($200 monthly credit)

Data Processing & Quality Assurance

Processing Pipeline

1. Extract

API calls & data collection

2. Transform

Normalization & cleaning

3. Validate

Quality checks & scoring

4. Load

Database storage & indexing

Data Quality Measures

Completeness Scoring

• Missing data percentage tracking
• Imputation strategies for gaps
• Confidence intervals for estimates

Accuracy Validation

• Cross-source verification
• Outlier detection and handling
• Manual spot-checking samples

Challenges & Solutions

Rate Limiting

Free API tiers have strict rate limits. Solution: Intelligent caching, batch processing, and distributed collection across multiple time periods.

Geographic Inconsistency

Different sources use varying boundary definitions. Solution: Standardized to census tracts with spatial interpolation for mismatched boundaries.

Data Freshness

Some sources update infrequently. Solution: Weighted scoring based on data age and volatility, with priority refresh for high-change metrics.

Neighborhood Scoring Metrics

How we quantify and normalize different aspects of neighborhood quality

Quantitative Metrics

Walk Score0-100

Crime RatePer 1000 residents

Median IncomeUSD (normalized)

Amenity DensityPer sq mile

Transit Access0-100

Composite Indices

Family FriendlinessWeighted composite

Cultural DiversityShannon index

Nightlife ScoreVenue density + hours

Green Space AccessDistance + area

Affordability IndexCost vs income ratio

API Integration Details

Free Tier Optimization Strategies

Intelligent caching with 24-hour TTL for static data
Batch processing during off-peak hours
Geographic clustering to minimize redundant calls
Fallback to cached data when rate limits exceeded
Progressive data loading based on user interaction

Data Refresh Schedule

Daily

Crime data, transit updates

Weekly

Amenity changes, new businesses

Monthly

Demographics, housing costs

Future Data Enhancements

Planned improvements and additional data sources for enhanced matching accuracy

Short-term Goals (3-6 months)

•Integration with school district APIs for education quality metrics
•Weather and climate data for outdoor lifestyle preferences
•Social media sentiment analysis for community vibe assessment
•Real estate market trends and price predictions

Long-term Vision (6-12 months)

•User-generated content and neighborhood reviews
•Environmental quality indices (air, noise, water)
•Future development plans and zoning changes
•International expansion with localized data sources