HOME | ABOUT US | CONTACT US
YOUR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE
REALTOR.ORG/realtormag
.


WEB REVIEW


From Pottstown to Podunk—Find Your Community Profile

ePodunk provides a user-friendly way to find community information at the state and county levels.

REVIEWED BY CHRISTOPHER M. LEPORINI

Web Site: ePodunk
URL: http://epodunk.com

What the Site Offers

Despite it’s humble name, ePodunk provides one of the largest online databases of community information. Its 25,000 profiles of communities nationwide cover population statistics, a brief history, U.S. Census and demographic information, crime, economy, education, entertainment, government and politics, maps, weather, and much more. Beyond the raw numbers, ePodunk also provides information on local festivals, historic sites, and museums. This site provides a useful tool for you to research a community for a listing presentation, to help clients narrow down their geographic home search with specific criteria, and provides you with handy information to spruce up your marketing materials.

Some of the federal sources for ePodunk’s profiles include the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Additionally, it gathers information from state departments of economic development, education, parks, and tourism nationwide as well as city, county, and regional governments.

The site was established in 2000 by journalists with a background in online publishing, newspapers, and demographics. ePodunk is located just east of the real Podunk, N.Y., a community so small that it does not appear on the Census Bureau’s list of places.

Valuable Site Features for Real Estate Professionals

  • Community Profiles. Find out everything you would want to know about a community you are researching in one place. These community profiles include Census 2000 demographic data, maps, and weather information, as well as statistics on employment, income, public education, and crime. In addition, the profiles link to sites for local festivals, food, and entertainment. For communities with populations of 4,000 or greater, these profiles also include statistics on the number of housing units in the area.
  • Census & Demographics. If you want to get your hands on some quick community statistics, just plug in the community name on this page and pull up an easy-to-read chart with a community’s overall population and its composition based on gender, age, and race or ethnicity.
  • County Profiles. The site recommends that you view county profiles in addition to the community profiles. Local governments gather some statistics only at the county level, so the county profiles provide information on agricultural and economic data, school districts, bankruptcies, and environmental issues.
  • State Profiles. The state profiles add another layer of information, with energy use, tax rates, Superfund sites, and water resources.
  • Rankings and Top 10 Lists. These rankings can assist you in defining qualities that make your community special. ePodunk’s original studies spotlight the best of the best in categories such as “Homeowner Costs by County,” “Historic Small Towns,” and “Where 20-somethings Move.”

    ________________________
    More Articles
    Web Review: American FactFinder , Christopher M. Leporini, October 2003.

    Suggest a Site For Review
    Every week, REALTOR® Magazine Online's Web review editor surfs the Internet to find sites useful to your business and off-hours lives. Have a favorite real estate Web site that you would like to see reviewed? Send your suggestions to Chris Leporini at mediatech@realtors.org. All decisions on which sites will be reviewed are completely at the discretion of REALTOR® Magazine Online's editorial staff. Please note: this column does not review individual practitioner or brokerage sites.

    The column's focus includes free sites, as well as sites that charge for goods and services, but which still offer a free component of practical, sustained value to real estate practitioners, such as a free newsletter or regular news information.
    ________________________
    REALTOR® Magazine Online's "Web Review" summarizes the content of Web sites that may be of interest to members. NAR and REALTOR® Magazine Online are not responsible for, and nothing in the Web site profile shall constitute NAR's or REALTOR® Magazine Online's endorsement of, the web site, its content, products and services, or its provider. NAR and REALTOR® Magazine Online believe the information contained in this profile was correct and accurate as of the time it was prepared, but do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or completeness of that information and are not responsible for changes in the Web site. Members should conduct their own independent review of the Web site prior to any use of Web site, its content, products, or services to determine their suitability for the member's intended purpose.

    Back to top