Create Zip Code Choropleth Map via Enable Location Option

[GBacon]

I have a table with zip code as the only field to tie records to a location for privacy concerns. I'm able to join the table to my zip code feature layer to create a choropleth map showing how many records from each zip code are present in my table. 

 I'm trying to do this another way, i.e., by only adding my table to the workbook and using the "Enable Location" option but I can't get the choropleth result. The process times out when I try to use the standard USA zip code geographies:

Any thoughts on how I can get the USA zip codes, preferably only in my county with a match, to load so I can create the choropleth?

[Ian_Muehlenhaus]

Dear @GBacon,

I'm testing your requested method right now using zip codes for Bar Licenses for Madison, Wisconsin (3,416 records across 32 zip codes).

It just worked. It took a while to compute, however, so I'm not surprised it may be timing out depending on your dataset. 

I want to help debug this for you. If you have time, could you answer several follow-up questions for me? 

- How big is your dataset -- i.e., how many records? Is it only 510 records (as in the image above)?

- Are you using 5-digit or 9-digit zip codes? I was using 5-digit ones and I see 5-digit ones above.

- Do you know if you are connected to an Enterprise/Portal or an AGOL account? 

Again, I'm sorry to hear it times out for you. I'll try to post an animated GIF of how it should work below... 

Thank you for using ArcGIS Insights and thank you for posting your questions / comments to Esri Community!

Ian

[GBacon]

- How big is your dataset -- i.e., how many records? Is it only 510 records (as in the image above)? 

510 records

- Are you using 5-digit or 9-digit zip codes? I was using 5-digit ones and I see 5-digit ones above.

I'm using 5-digit zip codes

- Do you know if you are connected to an Enterprise/Portal or an AGOL account? 

I'm working in AGO but don't see the same options for standard boundaries as your GIF so I just tried USA Zip Code Points and it worked. Any thoughts on why I don't see the USA_Boundaries_2020 that you're showing? Our portal says standard boundaries are not available for some reason but I'm looking into that.

[Ian_Muehlenhaus]

Hi @GBacon, 

Hmmm... I'm sorry, I'm not sure why those aren't showing up for you. That is odd. I'll let you know if I find out. 

I'm just glad it worked out for you. Sorry it was being so finicky before. 

Thanks for contributing to the ArcGIS Insights Community!

Ian

[AkshayHarshe]

@GBacon In my opinion this should work. If you are using a living atlas or a detailed boundary layer then I would ask you to try out a Generalized polygon for zipcode. The higher number of vertices can cause a timeout.

It says "No Boundaries Available" in the screenshot above because your Portal doesn't have any boundary layers published. You can publish standard boundaries to your portal and they will show up there. 

[GBacon]

Thanks, Akshay.

I at least know now that I have to publish standard boundaries to my portal to use them. Regarding AGO though, I am not using a detailed boundary layer; I'm using a table of zip codes. I'm hoping to enable location on that table by taking advantage of the generalized layers provided. I don't see a generalized version of zip codes in the dropdown list of standard boundaries, though I do see generalized counties and states. 

Should I be seeing a generalized version of zip codes?

[AkshayHarshe · Accepted solution]

I think you are correct, there is no separate generalized layer for zip codes. Using the living atlas zip code layer takes a lot of time or doesn't work.

I will ask you to try getting the Boundaries .sd files from your My Esri (hopefully it is available), publish them to your ArcGIS Organization as a hosted layer, and add it to the workbook. Try Enabling location using Geography to see if that is faster. Sometimes fetching the data from the Living atlas takes a long time.

Let me know.  

[GBacon]

Thanks again.

We have zip code boundaries for our county we can use and will handle zip codes beyond it on a case by case basis. I appreciate your looking into this with me.