topic Re: Create weighted Random Points in ArcGIS Pro Questions

Create weighted Random Points

SHealy2468 — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 18:40:41 GMT

I have a grid with values for each cell, I would like to create random points within each cells but weight them proportionally based on the landscan population raster so the areas of higher population receive a greater likely hood of a point being placed there. I have not been able to figure out a good way to do this though it seems like a workflow that would be useful enough to bake into the functionality of a tool that comes with arcpro.

Re: Create weighted Random Points

DavidSolari — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 19:10:12 GMT

An untested concept: generate the random points (probably at a higher density than you normally would), run Extract Multi Values to Points to get the population values in there, normalize those values to (0 .. 1), then field calculate a yes/no field using your preferred Python RNG function, flagging every point whose normalized pop value is higher than the normalized RNG value. Delete whatever failed and you should have some weighted results.

Re: Create weighted Random Points

DanPatterson — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 19:11:47 GMT

Create Spatially Balanced Points (Data Management)—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

is one possibility if you can come up with an inclusion raster given your input population raster