# What is Data Midsouth?

**Data Midsouth** is a centralized civic **data hub** for Memphis, Shelby County, and the Midsouth region built in [Huwise](https://userclub.huwise.com/pages/sources-inspiration/?sort=horodateur) (formerly known as Open Data Soft) and maintained by [Innovate Memphis](#who-built-it). 

It brings together publicly available datasets, interactive visualizations, and research reports in one place so you don't have to hunt across a dozen websites to find the information you need.

<p align="center"><button type="button" class="button primary" data-action="ask" data-icon="gitbook-assistant">Ask a question…</button></p>

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### How should I use it?

Think of Data Midsouth like a **search engine** for local civic data:

<div data-full-width="true" data-with-frame="true"><figure><img src="https://1095412806-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fe1ApIrdBTGqD08Mi8Gpp%2Fuploads%2F2xgeYdXoiLmqUcnKFgDY%2Fcatalog%20search%20bar.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=3225554b-c57a-45ac-9405-16c59648478f" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

* **You can** [**browse**](https://help.datamidsouth.org/data-midsouth-portal/getting-started/explore-the-catalog) raw data tables, maps, dashboards, and other online data tools.
* **You can** [**preview** ](https://help.datamidsouth.org/data-midsouth-portal/features/data-asset-page)before you download anything.
* **You can** [**download**](https://help.datamidsouth.org/data-midsouth-portal/features/downloads-and-formats) **or** [**explore** ](https://help.datamidsouth.org/data-midsouth-portal/advanced-features/in-app-analysis#using-the-query-feature)the information in a few different ways, depending on the asset.

It’s designed to make public information easier to find and use.

* Some assets [**live directly inside**](https://help.datamidsouth.org/data-midsouth-portal/features/data-asset-types) the platform.
* Others **link out** to trusted sources (like a partner dashboard or external website).

If you click something and it takes you to a different website, that’s normal.&#x20;

<p align="center"><strong>Data Midsouth is designed to help you </strong><em><strong>find</strong></em><strong> the right data, even if it’s hosted elsewhere.</strong></p>

Most data is currently focused on Memphis and Shelby County, but we hope to expand to regional data in the future. &#x20;

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### Where to start

Begin by thinking of a question you have about your community. For example, "Are evictions getting worse in my zip code?"

#### **Search the catalog** with a keyword (e.g., “evictions”)

<div data-with-frame="true"><figure><img src="https://1095412806-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fe1ApIrdBTGqD08Mi8Gpp%2Fuploads%2FYYwe5SrSe7uluSNRXuy5%2FThumbnail_Search%20Filter.png?alt=media&#x26;token=648013cd-ecae-4157-b0fe-ad0db65464cf" alt="" width="563"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

#### Scroll down the home page to **explore data by topic (e.g. Housing)**

<div data-with-frame="true"><figure><img src="https://1095412806-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fe1ApIrdBTGqD08Mi8Gpp%2Fuploads%2FnhU8YNeSqsqOX7BRUS1y%2FData%20Topics.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=c47bb669-eafc-4980-8c57-6685b8dbdca0" alt="" width="563"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

#### Keep scrolling to **explore by data asset**&#x20;

<div data-with-frame="true"><figure><img src="https://1095412806-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fe1ApIrdBTGqD08Mi8Gpp%2Fuploads%2FxdklFh4SFEGIHwca4UHm%2Fexplor%20eby%20data%20asset.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=8d0e3dfa-22fb-4685-bcc3-aa19439ed239" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

To learn more about how to navigate the portal, check out [tour-the-interface](https://help.datamidsouth.org/data-midsouth-portal/getting-started/tour-the-interface "mention") for a walkthrough video tutorial.&#x20;

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### Who is it for?&#x20;

* **Community members and advocates** — [Find data](https://help.datamidsouth.org/data-midsouth-portal/getting-started/explore-the-catalog) on your area, track property trends, understand where resources are and aren't going.
* **Nonprofit and civic org staff** — Pull data for grant applications, program planning, and community assessments. [Download ](https://help.datamidsouth.org/data-midsouth-portal/features/downloads-and-formats)clean datasets ready for your own analysis.
* **Researchers and analysts** — Access raw data with complete [metadata, source documentation, and refresh schedules](https://help.datamidsouth.org/data-midsouth-portal/features/data-asset-page).
* **Journalists and storytellers** — Search by topic, embed visualizations, and access underlying data for investigative work
* **Government and agency staff** — Review what's publicly available, identify data gaps, and explore what partners have published.&#x20;

<p align="center">You can also <strong>publish your organization's data on Data Midsouth</strong> to address public data requests. Learn more at <a data-mention href="../contribute-and-participate/data-submissions">data-submissions</a>!</p>

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### Who built it?&#x20;

Data Midsouth is a project of [Innovate Memphis](https://www.innovatememphis.com), a nonprofit organization that has served as Memphis' civic data intermediary for over a decade.&#x20;

Innovate Memphis launched the City of Memphis' Office of Performance Management, hosts the [Memphis Property Hub](https://mph.datamidsouth.org/), and has facilitated quarterly Civic Data Forums with over 35 local organizations since 2019.&#x20;

Data Midsouth builds on these foundations by making Innovate Memphis' work and the work of local and national partners accessible to everyone.&#x20;