Galveston SDOH Maps

Welcome to the Center to Eliminate Health Disparities Map Resources. Below are a number of maps the Center has generated to better understand the social and environmental determinants of health (SDOH) at play in our community.

Maps generally show information by location (points) or by shading different regions. Commonly used regions include familiar areas, such as city limits or postal zip codes. Other regions less familiar include areas called census tracts and smaller census blocks. These areas are used by the U.S. Bureau of the Census to break up geographic spaces into smaller, evenly distributed areas. Census blocks are the smallest areas, and can be grouped together into larger census tracts. For more information about these geographic areas, please go to: https://www.census.gov/history/www/programs/geography/tracts_and_block_numbering_areas.html.

Galveston Maps SDOH

Access to Food

This map gives a sense of the food environment on the Island. The smaller blue dots show every place permitted to sell food in Galveston. This includes convenience stores, pharmacies, general stores, restaurants, fast food establishments, fish markets, etc. However, not everyone may be able to access all of the food products they require. The large green dots represent the four large supermarkets that offer a variety of fresh produce, lean meats, dairy, and other healthier food options. They also accept both EBT and WIC, to government sponsored programs to assist lower income families with buying enough food to eat. We also placed a ½ mile buffer around these four stores to give readers a sense of distance; many residents may rely on walking, bicycles, taxis and/or public transit to reach these destinations.
All Food Vendors

Population density of African Americans on Galveston Island.
African_American

Alcohol

This map shows the locations of businesses permitted to sell alcohol for consumption off premises. Included among these businesses are convenience stores, general stores, and (highlighted in red) liquor/package stores.
Liquor Stores and Off-Site Alcohol Vendors

Banks & ATMs

This map shows the locations of FDIC/NCUA insured banks and credit unions (as well as their automated teller machines). The background of the map has been shaded by census tract to show the relative concentration of tract residents with incomes at or below the poverty level. Residents in areas of concentrated poverty often have limited access to these financial services.
Banks

Brownfields

This map shows the locations of areas identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as likely being a brownfield. A brownfield site (or simply a brownfield) is land previously used for industrial purposes or some commercial uses. The land may be contaminated by low concentrations of hazardous waste or pollution, and has the potential to be reused once it is cleaned up.
Brownfields

Child Care Capacity

This map shows the location of businesses permitted to offer child care services. The locations have different sizes of symbols to represent the number of children they are permitted to care for.

The second map shows Licensed Childcare Facilities by Capacity.

EBT

This map shows the locations of all places permitted to accept EBT. This federally authorized benefits program can be used only to purchase food and non-alcoholic beverages. Food benefits are distributed through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly the Food Stamp Program. Stores permitted to accept EBT include not only grocery stores, but also convenience stores, general stores, and other businesses.
Vendors Accepting Food Stamps

Population density of Hispanics in Galveston Island.

No Access to Vehicle

This map shows the percentage of workers (ages 16 and older) within each census tract that do not have access to a vehicle. It can serve as a proxy measure to identify areas that have a large number of people who may have to rely on other means of transportation to access goods and services, such as food, health care, education, etc.
Workers without Access to a Vehicle

Population Density

This map displays the density of residents across Galveston Island. Each dot represents one person. These dots do not represent the actual location of a resident. Rather, for each census block across the Island, each resident was given one dot that was randomly placed within their respective census block. The map is intended to demonstrate the relative densities of various locations in Galveston. Both overcrowding and physical isolation can be threats to positive health in various populations.
2010 Population Density

Poverty

This map shows the percentage of residents within each census tract in Galveston that reported an income level that was at or below the Federal Poverty Level.
Poverty

Public Transit Utilization

This map shows the percentage of workers (ages 16 and older) within each census tract who rely on public transportation to travel to work.
Workers Relying on Public Tranist

Schools

This map shows the location of public and private schools. Half-mile buffers are placed around the four public elementary schools to give readers a reference of walkability to the school.
Location of Schools

Transit Routes

This map shows the layout of the public transit network in Galveston by route. From this map, you can see how the different routes connect and the different routes one may have to take in order to move from one part of the Island to another.
Bus Routes

Large delivery/cargo truck routes.

Sediment Testing Locations

This map shows the locations of the eight testing sites for the Post-Ike sediment testing study. Following Hurricane Ike, sediment (the fine layer of material left behind on land once the flood waters had receded) was collected at these sites and tested for a variety of environmental hazards (including various heavy metals and toxic organic compounds). The map shows the different toxics that were found to be elevated at the various locations (though no sites had contamination beyond government thresholds that would mandate any remediation).
Post Ike Sediment Study

Zoning

This map shows the current zoning pattern for the City of Galveston. NOTE: the Zoning code for the City is currently being revised following Hurricane Ike and the adoption of a new Comprehensive Plan. From this map, the reader can see the various intended uses for land in Galveston. Further, the reader can see where various intended land uses interact (for example, where industrial and residential zones are in close proximity).
Zoning and Public Housing

Lab to Eliminate Disparities

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