Here you will find answers to questions that are asked regularly about the website. 

How do I build my own Dashboard?

Please follow the step by step instructions here. 

How do I find data for a specific location?

To find data for a specific location, go to the Explore Data tab, select Community Dashboard, then select your desired location. The dashboard will populate with all of the indicators on the site for the selected location. 

What is an Age-adjusted rate?

Age-adjustment is a statistical process applied to rates of disease or death that allows communities with different age structures to be compared. This is important because most diseases and health outcomes occur at different rates in different age groups. For example, cancer is more commonly associated with older populations. Rates are commonly age-adjusted to the 2000 US Standard Population. 

What is an indicator?

An indicator describes an aspect of the population used to measure health or quality of life. Health indicators may include measurements of illness or disease, as well as behaviors related to health. Quality of life indicators include measurements related to economy, education, social environment, and transportation.

What is a census place?

Census Places are geographies defined by the U.S. Census Bureau to assist with legal and statistical purposes. These areas may change over time as population and/or commercial activities increase or decrease, and they may be thought of as:

  • municipalities, cities, towns, villages, boroughs
  • town/townships
  • communities
  • neighborhoods
  • populated places
  • areas associated with a specific name

Where does site data come from?

The data comes from a variety of state and national sources, including the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control, the American Community Survey and many state-specific sources. Most of the data is reported on an annual basis. Each indicator page includes the source of the data, the URL of the source, and when this data was last updated.

Does this site work on a phone or iPad?

Yes, the site is responsive to mobile devices. But for the best experience it is recommended to run datasharemontereycounty.org in your web browser on a computer.
If you still have additional questions, please see more.