Maptitude Mapping Software for Local Government

Stewart Berry Dan Martin

Author: Stewart Berry
Images: Dan Martin

30 October 2023

GIS Software for Municipal Government

Maptitude is the most cost-effective GIS software available. It is now affordable for any level of government to produce and update the maps they need.

In this article:

Carl Chance

“If you need to create data sets, Maptitude is the way to go; with the book and tutorials a normal person can do wonders with the program. Also, training the non-GIS casual user is easy.”

Carl L. Chance
GIS Manager, Lake Charles Planning Dept.
Lake Charles, Louisiana

Maptitude: Empowering Government Officials with Comprehensive Planning Solutions

Maptitude maps are a great way to share planning information with the public. The reports are simple to create, and they are in an easy-to-understand format. GIS software for government is a valuable tool for:

  • city planners,
  • zoning officials,
  • tax assessors,
  • school administrators,
  • and other government officials
A tax parcel map created with a GIS solution for local government where the parcels are shown in different colors based on their zoning classification

Maptitude GIS solutions for local government - Use the included data or import data from numerous sources

How Local Government Uses GIS: Maptitude Examples

  • Assessors can map parcels and identify properties
  • School departments can create school districts based on demographic trends
  • School transportation staff can plan bus school bus routes
  • Conservation commissions can:
    • map environmentally sensitive zones and buffers
    • track invasive species
    • monitor wildlife habitats
  • Municipal departments can inventory infrastructure
  • Planners can identify areas for economic development or open space preservation
  • Highway departments can plan for road closures, detours, and maintenance
  • Emergency management departments can:
    • visualize the impact of flooding or landslides
    • identify prime locations for emergency shelters
    • assess neighborhood response times
Victor Keenan

“As far as ease of use goes Maptitude takes the prize, Maptitude is definitely easier to use right out-of-the-box and the learning curve for advanced functions is shorter than with MapInfo. As for presentations, Maptitude takes the prize again over MapInfo. The folks at Caliper took great pains and effort to make a GIS software application that is as user friendly as possible. They took the cartographic prep-work out of the equation, so that the user can spend less time trying to make the map look pretty and can focus on doing the actual analysis and presentation.”

Victor Keenan
Sr. GIS Technician, City of Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona

Maptitude: Streamline Municipal Operations with Powerful GIS Solutions

Included with Maptitude are the Census Place and County Subdivision outlines. These come from the U.S. Census Bureau for mapping cities, towns, and municipalities. You can also use Maptitude to access and display data from numerous other sources and formats.

A neighborhood map created with map software for municipal government that shows the location of utility poles where the poles are shown in different colors to indicate the type of pole

Maptitude map software for municipal government: Use Maptitude to inventory and manage infrastructure such as sewers, catchbasins, and utility poles

GIS for local governent map showing parcels, buildings, wetlands, wetland buffers, and storm water infrastructure

GIS for local government: Maptitude is an affordable solution for all local government needs such managing natural resources and critical infrastructure

A school district plan for a town with four schools and each district is labeled with the population as calculated by map software for local government

Map software for local government: Use the Maptitude Territory Manager to plan school districts

A map showing the school bus routes that service a school created with GIS solutions for local government

GIS solutions for local government: Use the Maptitude routing tools to plan municipal bus routes or school bus routes

Brett Lucas

“Maptitude is a great alternative to [other mapping software]. Using Maptitude, I can easily create 3-D maps, heat/hot spot mapping, Areas of Influence (Thiessen Polygons), drive-time rings, flow maps (desire lines and spider maps), territory mapping, and spatial overlays (tagging features from one layer to another), trade area/site selection and much more.”

Brett Lucas
Sr. Planner for the City of Cheney & Geography Instructor
Spokane, Washington

 Start Mapping Now 

Maptitude is competitively priced mapping software for local government. Why spend more for less?

A city map created with mapping software for municipal goverment that uses colors to show the mix of commercial and residential land use in each block group

Maptitude mapping software for municipal government - Map comparing land use mix of Neighborhood Commercial vs. Single-Family Residential

Try an interactive local government zoning map now!

Create your own maps! Try the full-featured version of Maptitude with a 1-month risk-free trial. No credit card is required

Case Studies: Real Life Applications of How Local Government Can Implement GIS with Maptitude

PSSG
How PSSG Used Maptitude to
Create New Police Districts

As population growth and changes led to an imbalance in the workloads of police districts, the San Francisco Police Department needed to redraw the police districts, taking into account a large amount of data, such as the number of service calls and incidents, response time, population, and the location of key infrastructure.
Entropy Land Use Mix How to Measure "Land Use Mix"
Using Entropy in Maptitude

Land use mix calculations are useful to local municipalities in quantifying access to services. The tool looks at a specific land use category and compares that to other types within the same geography. This entropy measure quantifies the balance of types using a score of 0 to 1 to describe equitable access.

Municipality Redistricting Solutions

Many municipalities need to redraw municipal ward and district boundaries. This is done after the decennial Federal Census. Municipal redistricting is influenced by:

  • Constitutional doctrines
  • Judicially mandated standards
  • Voting laws
  • Local law

The City/County Edition of Maptitude for Redistricting is the best software to get the local government redistricting done. This version comes with the data for your city or county, all ready to use.

Long Beach, California council district boundaries shown on a map created with a GIS for municipalities

Municipal GIS FAQs:

How is GIS used in local government?

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are powerful tools that are used in many different fields, including local government. In local government, GIS is often used for a variety of purposes, including mapping and spatial analysis. This allows local governments to make informed decisions about the use of resources and the allocation of resources in their communities. For example, GIS can be used to create maps that show the location of schools, hospitals, and other important facilities, as well as to identify areas that may be in need of additional resources or support. Additionally, GIS can be used to help local governments plan for and respond to emergencies, such as natural disasters or public health crises. Overall, GIS is a valuable tool that helps local governments to better understand and serve their communities.

What are 3 ways that governments can use GIS information?

1. Governments can use GIS information to analyze and map demographic data, such as population density, income levels, and age distribution. This can help governments to identify trends and patterns in their communities, and to plan for the provision of services and infrastructure accordingly.

2. Governments can use GIS information to manage land use and zoning. By mapping land use patterns, governments can identify areas that may be suitable for development, and can also track changes in land use over time. This information can be used to support planning and zoning decisions, and to ensure that land is used in a sustainable and responsible manner.

3. Governments can use GIS information to track and respond to environmental hazards, such as air and water pollution, natural disasters, and climate change. By analyzing spatial data, governments can identify areas that are at risk, and can develop strategies to mitigate these risks and protect the health and safety of their communities.

These are just a few examples of the ways that governments can use GIS information. Other potential uses include transportation planningpublic safety and emergency management, and economic development.

Why does the government need GIS?

GIS helps government agencies collect, analyze, and manage geographic data so they can make more informed decisions. It can be used to help assess changes in population, environment, infrastructure, and other factors. It can also help identify potential risks and plan future investments. GIS allows government agencies to quickly identify and respond to changes in their area of responsibility, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of their operations.

What is a local GIS?

A local government GIS (Geographic Information System) is a computer system used by local governments to store, manage, analyze, and display geographic data. This data can include land use, population, infrastructure, and environmental information. GIS can help a local government to make better decisions, plan projects, and improve services.

What is the importance of GIS in municipalities?

GIS is an invaluable tool for municipalities, as it enables them to better manage their resources, plan for growth and development, and make better decisions. GIS can be used to create accurate maps and geographic models, analyze land use and zoning, monitor traffic and infrastructure, and analyze demographics. GIS can help cities and towns more effectively manage their resources, plan for future development, and monitor natural disaster risks and hazards. GIS can also be used to better analyze the needs of citizens, providing the data and insight needed to make informed decisions.

How do I see only my municipality and hide map features outside my area of interest?

Follow the steps in this video to learn how to create a mask.

How do I outline or highlight my city or municipality?

G2 ReviewsCheck out our G2 Reviews
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 Start Mapping Now 

There are many benefits when you use Maptitude map software for municipal government:

√  Maptitude is the easiest-to-use full featured mapping software and includes powerful tools

√  Maptitude has no subscription fees and supports secure off-line data storage

√  Maptitude provides fully customizable maps with unlimited point icons

√  Maptitude has unlimited pin-mapping/geocoding

√  Maptitude includes free mapping data and demographics covering everything from population statistics to business locations, postal/ZIP Codes, and more!

Maptitude for Municipal Government: Economic Development Webinar

 

Maptitude for Municipal Government: Public Safety Webinar

 

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