Thread: choropleth map datawrapper

Hello All,

What free software do you use to create a population-based heat map - also known as a choropleth map - overlaying an Australian map? Remember the mention of the work "free". This is a map that shows different density of population within a specific local area. The differences in population are shown within a different scale of colours. For example, red could represent the highest population density of a particular cohort of people. Where yellow could be medium density. Down to white representing not many people at all.

I have been tasked to provide a population-based heat map or choropleth to indicate the number of a specific group of people living in Queensland. I came across the Datawrapper website and followed the 'simple' tips and tricks. However, my map lacks colour. As in not showing any populations.

I tried using the simple Youtube directions using the mapping feature of Microsoft Excel. However there must be different versions because the option of making a choropleth map is shown on YouTube - however, my version of Excel does not have that option to click on.

I have my data in a spreadsheet that I have uploaded to the program.

I started to search the internet and found Datawrapper and even Datawrapper's on how to YouTube clip - Accessed 14th November 2025 from, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e7O69cgQ_M&t=309s

Any help would be greatly appreciated - I identify as a semi-Luddite. I am on the very steep end of the learning curve regarding choropleth map constructions.

The data range is between 1000 to 27000 - perhaps I need to adjust the scale in density to come up with the colour scale shown on the map. At the moment there is only the name of the location city/region/shire in Queensland labelled and zero colour shading or numbers appearing. I must have missed a couple of steps about how to refine things - like generating colour. Ignorance is unfortunately not causing bliss at the moment! Just frustration.

Kind regards
Lionel

Originally Posted by Lionelgee

Hello All,

What free software do you use to create a population-based heat map - also known as a choropleth map - overlaying an Australian map?

Kind regards
Lionel

Hi Lionel.

Not sure where the term 'heat map' comes from unless it is a colloquial term applied to maps that use varyng shades of red to represent different temperatures in different regions. Choropleth is really about the use of the colour spectrum to represent data, and in some situations shades of one colour is sufficient - choice is up to the user or dictated by the data.

An AI search comes up with (apparently) free programs like QGIS, SAGA GIS, ILWIS, DIVA GIS, FALCONVIEW - I haven't used any of them.

In a past life I used MapInfo and Excel spreadsheets to create choropleth maps. You need a geography, for example Aust Bureau of Stats, like State/Local Area (SLA)/Collection Districts (CD)/sub-CD; Department of Education school collection districts; Department of Health districts, or you make your own maps in the mapping software. Organisations often have their own purpose built geographies or they manipulate (redistrict) ABS geography to get an approximation of their geography that mainly meets their needs. Organisations often want to compare their own data with ABS data on population, income, occupation etc.

In simple terms you load into the mapping program either a map you have built yourself with your desired regions, or take an already made map from some other source that comes close to meeting your needs ie ABS. Each region in your map is represented by a unique number. It is this unique number that will tie your research data to the mapped regions. But of course at this point you have not loaded any research data, only the map.

Next you fill the spreadsheet (usually first column) with the unique numbers, representing your geographic regions. There will be one column at this point maybe labelled 'Regions'. In simple terms there will be as many lines in your spreadsheet as you have geographic regions, 20 regions, 20 lines.

You then load your data - each data point against the unique number from which you gathered the data in the first place. If you collected 5 types of data from 20 region then you will have a table 20 lines deep by 6 columns wide.

For example, you may have collected from your uniquely numbered geographic regions (column 1) number of sheep in region (column 2) number of cattle in each region (column 3) weight of fish caught in each region (column 4) number of people in each region (column 5) number of barbecues in each region (column 6).

The spreadsheet, with the unique numbers and associated data, is then opened in the mapping program. Inside the mapping program you will see all the data headings that were in your spreadsheet. In your first set of maps you might want to choropleth the population first, so you choose column 1 and 5. Next set of maps, number of cattle, so you choose 1 and 3 etc. You could devise a map that has both number of people and number of cattle by geographic region, but you generally do not do that - such a map for example could be coloured to represent the cattle, with black numbers in each region representing the number of people. Usually a choropleth map represents all the geography regions against one data type at a time. If you want to compare more than two data types against geography you should resort to graphs and data tables. Choropleths are for simple visual representations, as are the frowned upon pie graphs.

Again, inside the mapping program you set the research data number density and corresponding colour(s) that you want - this will be the scale on your map. Sometimes natural breaks in the data may dictate how the scale is devised. Usually keep the breaks to a small number ie less than 100 sheep, less than 500 sheep, less than 1000 sheep, less than 5000 sheep...less than 10000 sheep, greater than 20,000 sheep. If you had a zillion sheep and a zillion different shades of one colour or a zillion of all colours, one for each sheep then no one is going to be able to tell one subtle shade from another, the map would be unreadable. The fewer number of breaks there are the better the colour contrast.

Confused? It helped?