Introduction

Overview

This documentation covers the technical methodologies behind the CommunityScale Housing Forecast application, including population projections, housing affordability analysis, household growth modeling, and market demand estimation. Each methodology page describes the data sources, analytical approach, and key assumptions used to produce the forecasts and indicators presented in the application.

CommunityScale Housing Forecast (2025). Housing needs analysis and population projection tool. Available at: https://app.communityscale.io

@misc{communityscale2025,
  title = {CommunityScale Housing Forecast},
  year = {2025},
  note = {Housing needs analysis and population projection tool},
  url = {https://app.communityscale.io}
}

Embedding Charts and Maps

Every chart and map in the Housing Forecast application is served directly from app.communityscale.io and can be embedded in an external website with a standard iframe. Embedded charts automatically reflect the latest data as the underlying pipelines refresh — including American Community Survey estimates, FRED economic indicators, Zillow home values, and CommunityScale's population forecasts. No manual intervention is required to keep embedded charts current.

The canonical embed URL patterns are:

  • https://app.communityscale.io/cards/{chart_type} — US-level chart
  • https://app.communityscale.io/{scope}/{geoid}/cards/{chart_type} — a single geography, where scope is county, municipality, state, or tract
  • https://app.communityscale.io/cards/affordability_map — national affordability choropleth
  • https://app.communityscale.io/cards/supply_need_map — 5-year housing supply need choropleth

For example, to embed the housing affordability chart for Union County, NC:

<iframe
  src="https://app.communityscale.io/county/37179/cards/housing_affordability"
  width="100%" height="420" frameborder="0"
  title="Housing affordability in Union County, NC"></iframe>

The same data is also available as JSON at /{scope}/{geoid}/api/cards/{chart_type} (or /api/cards/{chart_type} for the US aggregate).

Methodologies Overview

The methodologies in this application integrate data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) system, and commercial data providers. Together they form a pipeline that moves from demographic projections through housing demand quantification.

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Getting started
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Housing affordability