Data visualization has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years, and the MetroBoston Data Common is a fantastic initiative in this area. The DataCommon is "an interactive data portal and online mapping tool that provides a wealth of information about the region's people, communities and neighborhoods through a wide variety of topics." New visitors may wish to start by looking over the About the Project area to get a better sense of what is available on the site. On the homepage, visitors can Explore Data through topic area or geography. The Regional Map Gallery contains information about population and housing unit change in the 21st century, along with other maps that document foreign language households and where students live in the greater Boston region. The Community Snapshots area features basic demographic profiles of cities and towns across the commonwealth. Also, visitors can use the Do-It-Yourself section to craft bespoke maps and charts using the existing data.