The image on the right shows the distribution of affluent families in New York City. (Just in case you had any doubts about which is the tonier side of the Park.) It was prepared by CUNY sociology professor Dr. Andrew Beveridge, using Social Explorer, the statistical mapping website that he’s helped to develop.

Unlike some of the really fun academic online toys out there, Social Explorer is open to the public and free to use. The interface of the maps feature can be a little slow, but the range of information that Social Explorer puts at the fingertips is impressive, integrating census data from 2000 back through 1940.

You want to see the geographic location of individuals of Iraqui ancestry according to the 2000 census? No problemo. The percentage of people employed in the arts/entertainment/recreation trades? Oh, hello, New York City. Hello Memphis. Hello Disneyworld. Hello almost all of Nevada.

Sociologists probably have important uses for all this, but I call it fun.

(Image from the Gotham Gazette.)