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Today we sprung what might be the LAT’s first ever data app plugged directly into the front page. Some new foreclosure numbers came and we were able to quickly turn around the data so users could pop in their zipcode, or drill down and browse around the vast five county area we call “SoCal.”

Anyway, with a little free time this evening, I ferried the data over to Many Eyes and cooked up a couple data visualizations. They’re too much fun to keep to myself.

First, a visual version of the zipcode search, via ME’s “block histogram.” Try popping in “LA” or “Santa Monica” or 90210. The data isn’t adjusted to account for variations in population, but you can see what a cool spin on the classic search-and-return mechanism this gives you. Not only can you easily learn more about a particular locality, you can — at the same time — see where it falls on the distribution curve.

The second is a bit fancier. It’s a three-dimensional scatterplot charting foreclosure frequency on the Y axis against median household income on the X axis, with the size of the zipcode dots determined by the number of foreclosures per 1000 households (the Z-axis), a number that gives you a nice angle for comparison. Try flipping the Y and Z around, for a fun twist. It gives a quick way to explore the richest and poorest areas hit by the foreclosure boom, and it’s a hell of a lot of fun to mouse around with.

Or at least I think so. What do you think?

Tags
california, caspio, data visualization, data-driven web applications, income, los angeles, los angeles times, many eyes, my life, quantitative analysis, real estate

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