Employment in Local Businesses Across North Central Texas (2012–2021)

This interactive dashboard visualizes the total number of employees working in local businesses across 24 counties in the North Central Texas (NCT) region over a ten-year span (2012–2021). It combines a geospatial heatmap and a county-wise bar chart to provide a comprehensive view of employment distribution.

 Features & Functionality:

  •  County-Level View (Map):
    • The choropleth map assigns colors based on employment count — darker shades signify higher numbers of employees.
    • Users can hover over counties to see detailed employment figures.
    • Callout labels highlight the highest and lowest counties for each selected year.
  •  Horizontal Bar Chart:
    • Positioned next to the map, it provides exact values for each county, ranked for comparison.
    • The visual emphasizes the employment gap between urban hubs and rural counties.
  •  Year Filter (2012–2021):
    • A radio-style year selector enables users to view data for a specific year.
    • This feature allows for temporal comparisons, helping identify trends such as:
      • Growth in major counties like Dallas, Tarrant, and Collin
      • Fluctuations or stagnation in smaller counties
      • Impact analysis of events like the COVID-19 pandemic on employment (2020–2021)

 Key Insights (2021 Example):

  • Top 3 Counties by Employment:
    • Dallas County: 1,506,838 employees
    • Tarrant County: 798,353 employees
    • Collin County: 457,355 employees
  • Lowest Employment Counties:
    • Jack County: 1,608 employees
    • Hamilton County: 2,029 employees
    • Stephens County: 2,352 employees
  • These disparities underscore urban-rural divides and can inform regional economic support programs.

 Intended Audience:

  • Regional planners
  • Workforce development boards
  • Chambers of commerce
  • Academic researchers
  • Policy makers
  • Small business support agencies

 Potential Applications:

  • Identify counties with workforce surpluses or deficits.
  • Evaluate local business contributions to employment growth.
  • Prioritize counties for infrastructure or workforce training investment.
  • Support grant proposals or economic development plans with data-driven justification.