October 29, 2024

How To Use the PLACES Comparison Report

The Comparison Report allows you to view side-by-side comparisons of all PLACES measures for up to 3 counties or places along with U.S. estimates. Below are instructions on adding or changing counties or places for comparison, viewing measure definitions, and expanding or collapsing measures.

Preview screenshot of PLACES Comparison Report.

Using the Comparison Report

Default settings

By default, the Comparison Report displays all measure categories, fully expanded, at the national level (Default Location: United States).

Measure categories are listed in blue, with individual measures listed beneath them.
- They include Health Outcomes, Prevention, Health Risk Behaviors, Disability, Health Status, and Health-Related Social Needs.
To view measure definitions, click the view definition hyperlink below each measure in the first column of the report. The link will take you to a page with the definition and reference information for your selected measure.

Crude prevalence, age-adjusted prevalence, and their corresponding confidence intervals appear for each measure.

Health Outcomes table showing Data Type column at the national (United States default) level, with search and save options. — Layout of the PLACES Comparison Report.

You can use the search bar at the top to find matching text within the current report. Any matching text will be highlighted in yellow.

In the upper right corner, you have options to save and export your data, either as a PDF or text-based CSV file.

To compare counties or places

Note: Instructions below are for comparing counties. To compare places, follow the same instructions, but begin by clicking the Place tab in top left.

Begin comparing data between counties by adding the county(s) of interest to the report.

To add a county to the report:

1. Click the Add County button in the report header.

Shows how to click "Add County" button to add a county to the Compare Counties report. — Click the Add County button to add county to comparison report.

2. Find and select your county of interest. Use the search functionality to filter the list of counties as you type. When you click on a county in the list, it will move up to the Selected County section of the pop-up menu.

The auto-complete search feature will filter counties as you type. — The auto complete search feature filters counties as you type.

3. Add your county of interest to the report, by clicking the Add button, and allow the report to refresh.

To select the county you wish to add, click the Add button, and allow report to refresh. — Select the county you wish to add, click the Add button, and allow the report to refresh.

A maximum of 3 counties can be added to the report. Once 3 counties are added to the report, the Add County button at the top of the report will become disabled. The counties will appear in the table in alphabetical order by state, then county.

"Add County" button becomes disabled after 3 counties have been added to the Compare Counties Report — The Add County button will be disabled once 3 counties have been added.

Edit or Remove a County

Once a county has been added to the report, it can be replaced by another county or removed from the report altogether.

To replace a selected county (County A) in the report with a different county (County B):

1. Click the edit link under the county you wish to replace in the report. The Select County dialogue box will display.

Click the "Edit" link if you would like to replace a county. — Click the edit link if you would like to replace a county.

Shown is how first alphabetical county is auto-populated in this section. — County A is pre-populated in this section.

2. Select a new county (County B) from the Browse All Counties menu to replace the original selection in the report.

Select a new county from Browse all Counties list to replace original selection and click Add button — Select a new county from Browse all Counties list to replace the original selection and click the Add button.

3. Click the Add button to replace the old county with the newly selected county and allow the report to refresh.

The newly selected county replaces the old one on the report.

To remove a county from the report:

1. Click the remove link under the county you wish to remove from the report.

Click the remove link under the county you wish to remove from the Compare Counties report. — Click the remove link under the county you wish to remove.

2. When the Remove County dialogue box appears, click Remove to delete the county from the report.

If you did not intend to remove the county from the report, click Cancel to keep the county in the report and close the Remove County pop-up box.