
-
BlogIn most counties, parcels data is the most requested data in the county. Why?What’s the Big Deal with County Parcel Data?
- Esri explores what’s the big deal with county parcel data?
-
Blog
What’s the Big Deal with County Parcel Data?
In most counties, parcels data is the most requested data in the county. Why?
First, let’s define what parcel data is. Its not just the tax parcel lines on a map, but also all the information about the parcel. Information like the buildings, construction type, siding and roof type, number of bedrooms, square footage and many other characteristics maintained by assessors to assess value. It also includes documents like deeds, mortgages, liens, and easements. And let’s not forget about zoning, use, assessed value and property tax. There’s a lot of information about a parcel.
Figure A - Plats, surveys, assessor maps create accurate parcel maps used by the entire county and the public.
Sometimes its challenging to connect all of these dots – this information is maintained and managed in different departments in the county – The assessor maintains the property characteristics and calculates a value for real estate tax. The recorder’s office maintains the ownership records including deeds, mortgages, and easements. There’s zoning, building permits, comprehensive plans, addresses, and a lot more dots across the county to connect all the parcel information. GIS brings this together, makes it usable, and sharable with the public and stakeholders.
It sounds difficult, but it’s not. Sharing data with web services (or just services) is the key to sharing data and integrating it together despite so many separate county departments that are using different business systems. Services are like a dial tone to your data. Others can connect to it and use it, but don’t need to download or copy it. Services are a secure way to share data. Owners of the data can determine who can view, query and in some cases edit the data. Just about any kind of data can be integrated in GIS, and GIS publishes the services. These services power mobile apps and are ‘mashed up’ to make web maps.
The Importance of Getting Your Parcel Data Online
Publishing parcel data online has been around as long as the web has been around. Some parcel viewers are simple with just a little information about the parcel, and some viewers have just about everything including the chain of title, current tax valuation and where property tax dollars go for any particular parcel. Many parcel viewers are integrated with CAMA (computer assisted mass appraisal) systems which contains the property characteristics, and many have current and past aerial imagery so changes in the parcel can be easily seen.
Figure B - Online parcel viewers are easily configured with assessment data, imagery and other information to help limit office queries.
So, the parcel becomes the key to connecting data across the county. There is usually a PIN (parcel identification number) which is used to connect the different information sources when they are specific to the parcel. But with geographic data, it can be integrated without a PIN because it can simply be overlayed. Connecting and integrating geographic data such as soil types or land use can simply be overlayed and analyzed with GIS. Its kind of a GIS superpower.
Parcel Data is the Foundation for County Insight
But why does everyone seem to want parcel data? Simply, because it helps answer so many questions. Taxpayers can look at the value of their property and compare it to values of similar properties. Businesses combine parcel data with other data like income and demographics to help site their businesses in locations that will have the highest likelihood of success. Good parcel data is a valuable economic development tool for counties.
Figure C - Using parcels to understand and communicate valuation changes year-on-year.
Publishing and sharing parcel data online save counties time and money. In the past, taxpayers, surveyors, realtors, business owners and just about anyone who wanted information came to the county and into the assessor’s office to look at tax maps and property cards. Then to the planning department to review zoning. Then to public works to get an idea where the utilities were and other departments to get all the information they needed on a particular parcel. Now, its citizen self-service with the data online which is easily accessed with a map.
Parcel Data: The Most Powerful Dataset Your Organization Can Have?
Most county assessors take great pride in how they maintain their parcel data. It’s created for tax assessment but used by nearly everyone. As a result, many assessors develop data that is more accurate than they actually need to value property, but it helps eliminate duplication in government because some users of parcel data need a little more accuracy like in the public works or engineering department. This leads to an interesting issue – the assessor’s parcel data is at times more valuable to others than the assessor. When it’s used to ensure accurate geocoding and addressing, the emergency responders arrive at the correct property. Lives are saved. That’s valuable data.
Many states aggregate county parcel data for use in property tax oversight, emergency response, environmental analysis, broadband analysis, planning, and many other uses. This aggregated data force multiplies the value of parcel data and enables statewide analysis and analysis across jurisdictional boundaries. Aggregating parcel data with services takes the strain off the county of annually developing custom submissions.
County parcel data is the most requested and most used data in counties. This is because it’s the common link of so much data in all county departments – assessment, planning, registry, public works, engineering and others. Online parcel data is essential because it helps citizens find answers quickly without calling the county. It’s powerful because it helps businesses operate more efficiently. Simply put: parcel data is a big deal.
In most counties, parcels data is the most requested data in the county. Why?2022-08-03Blog2022-08-03
In most counties, parcels data is the most requested data in the county. Why?
First, let’s define what parcel data is. Its not just the tax parcel lines on a map, but also all the information about the parcel. Information like the buildings, construction type, siding and roof type, number of bedrooms, square footage and many other characteristics maintained by assessors to assess value. It also includes documents like deeds, mortgages, liens, and easements. And let’s not forget about zoning, use, assessed value and property tax. There’s a lot of information about a parcel.
Figure A - Plats, surveys, assessor maps create accurate parcel maps used by the entire county and the public.
Sometimes its challenging to connect all of these dots – this information is maintained and managed in different departments in the county – The assessor maintains the property characteristics and calculates a value for real estate tax. The recorder’s office maintains the ownership records including deeds, mortgages, and easements. There’s zoning, building permits, comprehensive plans, addresses, and a lot more dots across the county to connect all the parcel information. GIS brings this together, makes it usable, and sharable with the public and stakeholders.
It sounds difficult, but it’s not. Sharing data with web services (or just services) is the key to sharing data and integrating it together despite so many separate county departments that are using different business systems. Services are like a dial tone to your data. Others can connect to it and use it, but don’t need to download or copy it. Services are a secure way to share data. Owners of the data can determine who can view, query and in some cases edit the data. Just about any kind of data can be integrated in GIS, and GIS publishes the services. These services power mobile apps and are ‘mashed up’ to make web maps.
The Importance of Getting Your Parcel Data Online
Publishing parcel data online has been around as long as the web has been around. Some parcel viewers are simple with just a little information about the parcel, and some viewers have just about everything including the chain of title, current tax valuation and where property tax dollars go for any particular parcel. Many parcel viewers are integrated with CAMA (computer assisted mass appraisal) systems which contains the property characteristics, and many have current and past aerial imagery so changes in the parcel can be easily seen.
Figure B - Online parcel viewers are easily configured with assessment data, imagery and other information to help limit office queries.
So, the parcel becomes the key to connecting data across the county. There is usually a PIN (parcel identification number) which is used to connect the different information sources when they are specific to the parcel. But with geographic data, it can be integrated without a PIN because it can simply be overlayed. Connecting and integrating geographic data such as soil types or land use can simply be overlayed and analyzed with GIS. Its kind of a GIS superpower.
Parcel Data is the Foundation for County Insight
But why does everyone seem to want parcel data? Simply, because it helps answer so many questions. Taxpayers can look at the value of their property and compare it to values of similar properties. Businesses combine parcel data with other data like income and demographics to help site their businesses in locations that will have the highest likelihood of success. Good parcel data is a valuable economic development tool for counties.
Figure C - Using parcels to understand and communicate valuation changes year-on-year.
Publishing and sharing parcel data online save counties time and money. In the past, taxpayers, surveyors, realtors, business owners and just about anyone who wanted information came to the county and into the assessor’s office to look at tax maps and property cards. Then to the planning department to review zoning. Then to public works to get an idea where the utilities were and other departments to get all the information they needed on a particular parcel. Now, its citizen self-service with the data online which is easily accessed with a map.
Parcel Data: The Most Powerful Dataset Your Organization Can Have?
Most county assessors take great pride in how they maintain their parcel data. It’s created for tax assessment but used by nearly everyone. As a result, many assessors develop data that is more accurate than they actually need to value property, but it helps eliminate duplication in government because some users of parcel data need a little more accuracy like in the public works or engineering department. This leads to an interesting issue – the assessor’s parcel data is at times more valuable to others than the assessor. When it’s used to ensure accurate geocoding and addressing, the emergency responders arrive at the correct property. Lives are saved. That’s valuable data.
Many states aggregate county parcel data for use in property tax oversight, emergency response, environmental analysis, broadband analysis, planning, and many other uses. This aggregated data force multiplies the value of parcel data and enables statewide analysis and analysis across jurisdictional boundaries. Aggregating parcel data with services takes the strain off the county of annually developing custom submissions.
County parcel data is the most requested and most used data in counties. This is because it’s the common link of so much data in all county departments – assessment, planning, registry, public works, engineering and others. Online parcel data is essential because it helps citizens find answers quickly without calling the county. It’s powerful because it helps businesses operate more efficiently. Simply put: parcel data is a big deal.

About Brent A. Jones, PE, PLS (Full Bio)
Global Manager, Cadastre/Land Records
Based in Washington D.C., Brent Jones oversees Esri’s worldwide strategic planning, business development, and marketing activities for land records, cadastral, surveying and land administration.More from Brent A. Jones, PE, PLS
-
Webinar
NACo Briefing for Newly Elected Congressional Staff on Counties & the Federal Grant Process
Jun. 8, 2023 , 3:00 pm – 4:00 pmOver the past two years, new federal laws have led to a significant increase in funding becoming available directly to counties. As a result, it is crucial for communities to understand how to navigate these opportunities and maximize these funding streams. -
Webinar
Worried about inflation? Strategies for Increasing Non-Tax Revenues.
Jun. 8, 2023 , 1:00 pm – 2:00 pmHosted by Joe Rulison, CEO, and William (Bill) Cherry- Director of Public Partnerships of three+one. This webinar will equip you with the latest knowledge and trends in liquidity management. This presentation is designed to help you optimize your cash management operations and generate new revenue streams. -
Blog
White House and USICH launch initiative to tackle unsheltered homelessness
On May 18, the White House and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) launched the ALL INside initiative to address unsheltered homelessness. -
Press Release
National Association of Counties Issues Statement on Bipartisan Debt Ceiling Deal
WASHINGTON – The National Association of Counties (NACo) today issued the following statement urging Congress to pass the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, a bill to provide for an increase to the debt ceiling and avoid default on the national debt. NACo Executive Director Matthew Chase said: -
Blog
Counties & the national debt: What defaulting on the national debt could mean for counties
At some point soon the United States government could default on the national debt. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has stated that if the federal debt ceiling is not raised by June 5, the federal government could miss or delay payments on their obligations resulting in a technical default. -
Webinar
Crafted by Communities: A Framework for Economic Transition
May. 25, 2023 , 3:00 pm – 4:00 pmThis BRECC National Network session, entitled Crafted by Communities: A Framework for Economic Transition, will present three pillars for coal community revitalization and share resources from the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE).
-
Webinar
Worried about inflation? Strategies for Increasing Non-Tax Revenues.
June 8, 2023 , 1:00 pm – 2:00 pmHosted by Joe Rulison, CEO, and William (Bill) Cherry- Director of Public Partnerships of three+one. This webinar will equip you with the latest knowledge and trends in liquidity management. This presentation is designed to help you optimize your cash management operations and generate new revenue streams.06081:00 pm<p><strong>Hosted by Joe Rulison, CEO, and William (Bill) Cherry- Director of Public Partnerships of three+one.</strong></p>
-
Webinar
NACo Briefing for Newly Elected Congressional Staff on Counties & the Federal Grant Process
June 8, 2023 , 3:00 pm – 4:00 pmOver the past two years, new federal laws have led to a significant increase in funding becoming available directly to counties. As a result, it is crucial for communities to understand how to navigate these opportunities and maximize these funding streams.06083:00 pm<p>Over the past two years, new federal laws have led to a significant increase in funding becoming available directly to counties. As a result, it is crucial for communities to understand how to navigate these opport
-
Webinar
Creating Inclusive Pathways to Higher Education and Employment for County Residents
June 21, 2023 , 3:00 pm – 4:00 pmPost-secondary education can be a pathway to gaining the degrees, credentials and skills needed for family-sustaining employment.06213:00 pm<p>Post-secondary education can be a pathway to gaining the degrees, credentials and skills needed for family-sustaining employment.
-
Reports & Toolkits
American Rescue Plan Resource Hub
In March of 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 authorized the $350 billion State and Local Coronavirus Fiscal Recovery Fund (Recovery Fund), which provided $65.1 billion in direct, flexible aid to every county in America.Reports & Toolkitsdocument03092:00 pmReports & Toolkits<p>In March of 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 authorized the $350 billion State and Local Coronavirus Fiscal Recovery Fund (Recovery Fund), which provided $65.1 billion in direct, flexible aid to
-
Basic page
ClearGov
ClearGov® is the leading provider of Budget Cycle Management software, focused on helping local governments streamline the annual budgeting process by improving the collection, creation, and communication of their budgets.pagepagepage<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%" summary="call-out transparent">
<tbody>
<tr> -
Basic page
Community, Economic & Workforce Development Steering Committee
Responsible for all matters pertaining to housing, community and economic development, public works, and workforce development including the creation of affordable housing and housing options for different populations, residential, commercial, and industrial development, and building and housing codes. Policy Platform & Resolutions 2022-2023 2022 NACo Legislative Prioritiespagepagepage<p>Responsible for all matters pertaining to housing, community and economic development, public works, and workforce development including the creation of affordable housing and housing options for different populations, residential,
-
Basic page
Finance, Pensions & Intergovernmental Affairs Steering Committee
All matters pertaining to the financial resources of counties, fiscal management, federal assistance, municipal borrowing, county revenues, federal budget, federal tax reform, elections and Native American issues. Policy Platform & Resolutions 2022-2023 2022 NACo Legislative Prioritiespagepagepage<p>All matters pertaining to the financial resources of counties, fiscal management, federal assistance, municipal borrowing, county revenues, federal budget, federal tax reform, elections and Native American issues.</p>
Contact
-
Global Manager, Cadastre/Land Records
Related Posts
-
BlogWhite House and USICH launch initiative to tackle unsheltered homelessnessJun. 5, 2023
-
BlogCounties & the national debt: What defaulting on the national debt could mean for countiesMay. 25, 2023
-
BlogLooking beyond economic assets to find your community’s 'sweet spot'May. 24, 2023
Related Resources
-
Press ReleaseNational Association of Counties Issues Statement on Bipartisan Debt Ceiling DealMay. 29, 2023
-
Reports & ToolkitsHousing Affordability for America's CountiesApr. 28, 2023
-
Reports & ToolkitsMyths & Facts: American Rescue Plan Coronavirus State & Local Fiscal Recovery FundsApr. 24, 2023
Related Events
-
8Jun2023Webinar
Worried about inflation? Strategies for Increasing Non-Tax Revenues.
Jun. 8, 2023 , 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm -
8Jun2023Webinar
NACo Briefing for Newly Elected Congressional Staff on Counties & the Federal Grant Process
Jun. 8, 2023 , 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm -
21Jun2023Webinar
Creating Inclusive Pathways to Higher Education and Employment for County Residents
Jun. 21, 2023 , 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
More From
-
Legislative Analysis for Counties: The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023
This analysis includes funding highlights for key programs impacting counties.
Learn More